Tekken 5: Angels and Demons
by MooNTeARZ
Summary: Finished.A new fighter joins the tekken tournament.To everyone he seems like an ordinary teenager.Little do they know that there's more to him then meets the eye.and how he can affect their lives in ways they can never imagine
1. Prologue: Jamie

Prologue: Jamie.

Name: James "Jamie" Brandon Parker.

Age: 18

Blood Type: O

Height: 5'11

Eye Color: Light Blue

Hair Color: Shoulder Length, straight, and blonde.

Nationality: American.

Home Town: Treasure Island Florida.

Family: Parents (Deceased) Living with his Pro Skater brother Justin Parker.

Hobbies: Skateboarding, Surfing, Snowboarding, Martial Arts.

Fighting Style(s): Tae Kwon Do, Basic Karate, Mixed Martial Arts, some Muai Thai and Capoeria.

Back Story:

Jamie Parker is one young man who is part of an ancient, and proud tradition…his origins are steeped in a dangerous liaison between angels and humans that occurred before recorded history. The results were children known as Nephilim…young men who have supernatural strength, agility, martial arts prowess, and rapid healing. All throughout history, Nephilim have made their mark in the fight to combat demons, and Jamie is the latest one. Jamie is a good natured young man, friendly, and relatively easy to get along with. With his surfer/skater good looks, Jamie could have no problem attracting members of the opposite sex…but he is somewhat shy. Irreverent, and sarcastic about his sacred calling, Jamie is a breath of fresh air into the archaic line of Nephilim…


	2. Chapter 1: Deep Thoughts

Authors Note: Jamie Parker and the Nephilim are the creations of the community inside my head…as for everything else, they all belong to Namco…dammit!

The airplane glided serenely through the night sky, bathing the plane in cool moonlight. Most of the occupants were sleeping peacefully, letting the quiet, roar of the jets lull them to sleep. Most, but not all. Eighteen year old James "Jamie" Parker was wide awake, and quietly listening to music on his laptop. It was a gift, from his older brother when he had graduated high school. Jamie wondered how he had functioned for the past eighteen years without it. As he tapped the keys lightly, images danced across the frames of his square, black, "geek chic" reading glasses, like an old movie. Jamie was wired tonight, and found that he couldn't sleep, no matter how hard he tried. To pass the time, Jamie reflected on the latest turn of events to happen in his incredibly eventful life. He was heading for Japan…Tokyo to be precise, to participate in the Fifth King of Iron Fist Tournament. It was supposed to be a great honor to participate in this world renowned tournament, and under normal circumstances, Jamie would have been thrilled…but of course "normal" was a term used incredibly loosely in the life of a Nephilim…a young man who is chosen to fight demons, and other forces of darkness. With supernatural speed, and strength, rapid healing, and exceptional combat prowess, the Nephilim are a great threat to the secret society of demons, who everyday, attempt to destroy mankind. Jamie had been the Nephilim for the past two years, and had proved that he was quite good at what he did. In two short years, Jamie had saved the world from apocalypse, and various other big bads and other nasties…but this time, he would face an enemy far worse then anything he had ever fought. Jamie had been assigned by the priests in The Vatican, to face a man named Kazuya Mishima…a man who possessed the mysterious Devil Gene…a horrific mutation that turns it's hosts into horrific "Devils". Kazuya, who was now in the thralls of the Devil Gene, had plans to extract the gene from his son Jin…thus, making the Devil within him unkillable, and insanely powerful. Jamie had to put a stop to this, and the only way he could, was to enter the tournament.

_So much for going to the X-Games with Justin…_

He thought bitterly. Jamie wasn't the only Nephilim to participate in The King of Iron Fist Tournament. A Nephilim named Patrick fought…and was killed in the battle to stop the rise of the demon named Ogre…Suddenly, Jamie's train of thought was immediately derailed when the large man sitting next to him had a sudden gastrointestinal reaction to the plane's shifting.

_Urrghh…I hope to God we land soon! If I don't die in this tournie, then I'll keel over from suffocation! There're much cooler ways to die, and I don't wanna be known as the Nephilim who suffocated to death just 'cause the wide ride next to me can't stop trapping me in a Dutch Oven!!_


	3. Chapter 2: Lie To Me

Authors Note: With the boring introduction stuff outta the way, now we can get down to some down and diry…knitting?! Naw, I wouldn't do that to you…anyway, now it's time to up the stakes a little bit…read on! Plants need sunlight, authors need reviews…I'm not dropping hints here people, I'm dropping anvils, please review!

Jamie sat in the lobby of the prestigious Mishima Hotel. The hotel was world renowned for its five star cuisine, and top of the line service and rooms. The nervousness that racked his body all through the plane ride refused to relent, even as he attempted to relax in a comfortable sofa. The lobby was a seasoned blend of various languages and accents. Jamie looked around and marveled at the melting pot of ethnicities in the expansive hotel lobby. He had his luggage around him and attempted to read a cheap, paperback novel that he had bought at the airport, but he kept getting distracted. He glanced over at a table, where a Korean man with hair as long as Jamie's own sat. It was dyed a rather awful shade of red, but it seemed to work for the style that he was trying to put forth. He wore a pair of skin tight jeans, and a rather tight dark blue t-shirt. Sitting next to him was a young Native American girl who was probably in her early twenties. She wore a fitted, denim jacket, and auburn, plastic glasses. Sitting across from her was another, short Chinese girl with her hair pulled back in twin, bouncy pigtails. The trio smiled and laughed with each other, as if they were old friends. Suddenly, Jamie noticed that the red haired man looked over at him and pointed. Jamie felt his face redden, and he buried his face into his book.

"Hey, what's up with goldielocks? He one of the newbies?" Hwoarang asked, pointing to Jamie.

"I don't know I haven't seen him before." Julia answered.

"Look at him, he looks too pretty to last a day here!" Hwoarang said scornfully.

"Be nice!" Xiaoyu scolded gently.

Julia looked over at Jamie. "Awww…look, he's all lonely, someone should go sit with him."

"He does look kinda alone…being new can be tough, I'll go over there." Xiao said, as she got up from her chair.

Hwoarang rolled his eyes and sighed. "Christ Xiao, you're too nice for your own good…y'know that?"

Xiao pretended not to hear him, and walked over to Jamie, while Julia socked Hwoarang playfully in the arm.

Jamie glanced up from his book, to see the Chinese girl walking over to him. She smiled, and stood over him.

"Hi, can I sit?"

"S-s-sure.." Jamie stuttered.

Why was it that Jamie could easily kill zombies, demons, vampires, anything that the forces of darkness could throw at him, but he could never speak to members of the opposite sex without turning into a quivering, stuttering mass?

"Hi, I'm Ling…Ling Xiaoyu." She shook Jamie's hand.

"I'm Jamie…it's nice to meet you…" Jamie managed to blurt out.

"Hey, why don't you come join us?" She asked, gesturing to the table where Hwoarang, and Julia sat.

"Sure…if that's okay?" Jamie asked, somewhat uncertainly.

"Of course it is." Ling smiled, and led Jamie towards their table.

"Guys, this is Jamie." Ling introduced.

"Hey." Julia greeted, in a friendly fashion.

Hwoarang took a drag of his cigarette, and waved his hand in Jamie's general direction.

"So what brings you here Jamie?" Julia asked.

"Oh, y'know, it's always been a life long dream of mine to be in the King of Iron Fist Tournament…and the money could help pay for college and stuff." Jamie lied effortlessly.

In the two years that Jamie had been called to be the Nephilim, he had learned to become quite an adept liar…something he had never been proud of, but this was just one lie, in a string of fallacies that would probably be uttered during his stay in Tokyo. Besides, it would be a little strange to tell these people all about the Nephilim, his sacred duties, demons, yada yada yada.

"So, why are you guys here?" Jamie asked.

Immediately, Julia leapt into a conversation about the reforestation of her people's native homeland. Jamie tried hard to listen, but science was never his strong point in school…mercifully, Hwoarang ended the conversation fast.

"Alright Jules, let's not bore the newbie to tears," Julia gave him a look to freeze blood, but Hwoarang ignored it.

"Anyway, I'm here, cuz I've gotta score to settle." Hwoarang said, flicking his cigarette roughly into the ashtray.

"Relax Hwoarang…I don't even think that Jin's gonna be here…" Xiaoyu said with dismay.

_Jin!_ The name struck a cord with Jamie, this was the young man that he was supposed to protect from his father Kazuya!

"Is Jin gonna be here?" Jamie asked, trying to sound casual and nonchalant.

"I don't think so…he left shortly after the fourth tournament." Ling explained.

"That pussy better show…we've got unfinished business!" Hwoarang said, cracking his knuckles.

"I don't blame him for not showing…I mean, haven't you heard the rumors going around?" Julia asked.

"Oh Jules…don't worry about it, they're just stories!" Hwoarang said.

"Shut up Hwoarang, rumors or not, they're really creepy!" Xiaoyu shuttered.

Jamie's ears perked up. "What rumors?"

"This girl was supposed to be in the tournament, she showed before we did…anyway, she went out to eat the other night, and they found her yesterday morning…" Julia shuttered.

"She was dead. The police say that she had neck ruptures…whatever that meant." Xiaoyu finished.

"Or maybe it was VAMPIRES!!!" Hwoarang said in a mock spooky voice…he then promptly laughed.

"Vampires?" Jamie asked.

It was a very plausible reason. Vampires were a rarity in the types of monsters that Jamie fought…mostly because they were smart, and avoided him...but still, they tended to congregate among urban areas, where they could feed in discretion.

"Oh, don't tell me you believe that shit!" Hwoarang said to Jamie.

"Naw…that's just stupid bro!" Jamie forced a laugh, and tried to reassure the girls.

More lies, and he hadn't even been in Tokyo for an hour yet. Still, while he laughed, a nagging thought plagued his mind. Vampires? Devil Genes? Were they connected somehow? Was there more to this tournament then met the eye? Was this how the previous Nephilim Patrick had died? Who else had been killed behind the scenes at these tournaments? Jamie was about to find out that the more layers he pulled back on the grim history of this tournament, the more grimy and tarnished it's reputation became.

_Looks like I'll have to do some patrolling tonight. First there's a man possesed by a demon claiming to be the devil...and now vampires?! There is a grimy, shady tune going on here, and I'm gonna get to the bottom of it!_


	4. Chapter 3: Close Encounters

Authors Note: Action time! Look, I know people have read this…and review's only take like two seconds to write!!! I could really use some…please…::puppy dog eyes::…oh thanks to skittles xtreme, and shadowsin…y'all are awesome!!!

The vampire ran for his life.

He ran in great bounding leaps over the pitched roofs and gables, jumping from tenement to tenement, clearing gaps of fifteen to twenty feet at a time. He hurtled over roofs and skylights, his lame-o khaki "Member's Only" jacket billowed out behind him like tan bat wings…obviously the jacket was meant for a fat person, for it was several sizes too big for the creature of the night. His speed was such that no human could hope to catch him.

Not even the Nephilim.

Jamie knew that he had no hope of overtaking the vampire…but he was making up the plan as he was going along, and even though he had been chasing the creature off and on for the better part of the night, he knew that eventually, this creature would get tired…and when it did, Jamie would be ready. Accordingly, Jamie pursued at a somewhat breakneck speed, letting the vampire get comfortable and lazy…thinking that the Nephilim would give up.

Jamie saw the vamp put his boot on the edge of a cupola and hurl himself forward into space to land on a rooftop one floor down and a good twenty-five feet away. Had he taken time to doubt, Jamie might not have made it, instead he gave himself up to his instincts. He leaped, and the night air fanned his flaxen tresses, which had been pulled out of their ponytail during the chase…then Jamie landed, his legs absorbing the impact with no complaints. The vampire was still running…he wouldn't for much longer. Finally, Jamie let loose a final burst of speed, then focused all his strength in a jumping side kick. The creature fell to it's knees, while Jamie landed with a graceful hapkido roll. Both leapt up at the same time. The vampire snarled at Jamie, while he only smiled.

"Member's Only jacket? So what're you? Like the last member?" Jamie asked.

"You are starting to annoy me!" The vampire shouted, throwing a punch at Jamie.

"What can I say? I've got a knack!" Jamie responded.

Jamie dodged the punch, than unleashed a devastating reverse crescent kick to the creature's face. The vampire stumbled a little, and Jamie closed the gap with a right cross to the jaw. The vampire yelped in agony, and Jamie thought he had him…until the creature body slammed the Nephilim into a wall. The impact set off fireworks behind Jamie's eyes…and Jamie fell, temporarily incapacitated…the vampire picked Jamie up with it's supernatural strength, and lowered it's fangs closer and closer towards Jamie's exposed neck…

"Say goodnight sweet meats!" It whispered.

"Are you hitting on me?!" Jamie asked, as he immediately came too.

He head butted the creature, then drew a short, samurai sword from his waist. It was known as a wakazashi, and what the ancient samurais would use to perform hara kiri, or fight enemies in enclosed spaces. It was a gift from the Shinto Priests in Tokyo…the Nephilim had connections spanning the globe, and they were more then happy to outfit the "Chosen One" with several divine weapons.

"You are so dead…no, really!" Jamie exclaimed, brandishing his weapon, and charging after the demon.

"You may have beaten me Nephilim…but my master knows that you're here and he'll-''

"Whatever," Jamie interrupted as he quickly chopped the creatures head off. Before the head hit the ground, the body, and it's head exploded in blue flame…before vanishing from sight. "If I had a quarter for every demon warlord I've pissed off then…well, I'd be spendin' a lot of time at the arcade." Jamie said as he popped his knuckles and neck.

"Very impressive…" A voice said from the shadows.

Wary, Jamie dropped into a discreet fighter's stance, by shifting his weight onto his back leg. Suddenly, a man stepped forward from the dark corner. He wore a gray polo shirt, stretched taught on his bulging muscles, and blue corduroy pants around his narrow hips. His shoes, polished to perfection, were wingtips. His hair was thick with gel, and it stood straight up in one spike. The man looked Japanese, and had a pair of sunglasses masking his eyes.

Jamie shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "That was just another day on the job," He said breathlessly, he held his arms out. "Care to step up for some over time?"

The man chuckled, and removed his glasses...much to Jamie's surprise he had one red eye, and one black one. "You are the American Nephilim are you not? I can tell by your ridiculously long, yellow hair, and sarcastic attitude."

"Look, I don't know about you, but it always makes me happy when I DON'T have my own personal hole in the ozone layer! Seriously man, how long does it take for your hair to do that?" Jamie retorted.

"Hmph…Mock me all you want American Nephilim…I can smell your fear from here…you reek of it!" The man sneered.

"Sorry, that's my new deodorant…you should seriously invest in some!" Jamie shouted as he leapt into action.

Jamie quickly began to unleash a flurry of kicks and punches using all his Nephalim speed and strength. He pulled no stops, unleashing his best combo's and pumping out full Nephilim speed and strength…much to Jamie's dismay, the man blocked each attack effortlessly. The man laughed while Jamie continued to attempt to hit him. At one point, Jamie left himself open for attack, just for a second, and the man took full advantage of it. The man side kicked Jamie in the ribs. The Nephalim let out a yelp of pain as he stumbled backwards…and landed on one knee.

"Is that all you got? The Nephalim before you defiantly had more, how do you Americans say it? Spunk…your fighting is amateur at best." He said callously with his arms crossed.

He hadn't even broken a sweat! Jamie's clothes were soaked with perspiration, and he felt like more then a few of his ribs were cracked…thank God for rapid healing…Jamie only hoped that it would kick in at the right time…like NOW!!!

"Big words comin' from the man who's gonna be going home in a gurney!" Jamie shouted bravely as he leapt back into action.

"If words could kill Nephalim…if words could kill. You are just a thorn in my side; I'll take great pleasure watching your life blood slowly drain from your body this night!"

_Oh…crap…this is Kazuya isn't it? Kazuya Mishima…oh shit…I'm dead…_

Still, Jamie couldn't give up. He bravely dropped into his fighter's stance once again, and leapt into battle.

"Look at you…all your gifts and powers and you can't even endure a simple match!" Kazuya exclaimed.

"Really? I'll take that bet!" Jamie challenged.

The two began to brawl again. Jamie unleashed his best moves, but Kazuya kept blocking them. When Kazuya would throw kicks or punches, Jamie would block them…but the attacks would still hurt. Jamie's arms and shins were sore, and going numb…he knew that he wouldn't last much longer in the fight, and he'd better find Kazuya's weakness fast…and that's when he got an idea. Taking the offensive, Jamie continued to attack Kazuya with all his best moves…backing him slowly towards the ledge of the roof, Jamie hoped to push him off. Finally, Jamie had backed Kazuya to the ledge, but before he could throw him off, Jamie was blindsided from the side. Someone punched him hard in the temple. The blow stung, and made Jamie's head begin to reel…what Jamie could make out though, was a man wearing a hooded jacket, and baggy jeans. The hood hid the man's face, and Jamie couldn't tell who it was. Before Jamie could react again, Kazuya grabbed Jamie. Strangely, the hooded man attempted to stop Kazuya from throwing Jamie, but was unsuccessful…in his dazed mind, Jamie began to think:

_You're hitting me one minute, trying to save me the next! Make up your mind!_

Jamie felt himself falling…falling from the roof…but he felt strangely tired…the blow to the head was about to knock him out, but he heard himself screaming on the way down. Finally, before he hit the concrete, he mercifully blacked out…but not before hearing a gut wrenching snap of shattered bones…

Author's Note: What happened to Jamie? Is he okay?! Who was the masked man(Do you really need a hint?)? All these and more in the next installment!!! As the song lyrics go

"Raise your voice/ Shout it out/ Play it Loud" Make your voice heard and give me some reviews!!!!!


	5. Chapter 4: A New Vocation

Author's Note: Hey!! I think this story is startin' to pick up some fans! Still, please review, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks again to skittles-xtreme, shadowsin, and chlovergoddess…you're reviews were really good, I love all you're stories, and cholovergoddess has written one of my fav Tekken stories ever. (Dear Mother) it's awesome! READ IT!!! Thanks again!!! And PLEAZEEE REVIEW!!!!!

Ling Xiaoyu walked out of the dance club's back entrance…something led her out here, but she wasn't sure what it was. Call it women's intuition or whatever…but she thought she heard someone scream. Heart thudding in her chest, she opened the door. Initially, she didn't want to go alone, but Hwoarang and Julia were busy dry humping on the dance floor, and wouldn't come outside with her, so she decided to investigate on her own.

Ling would have left anyway, she was never into clubs that much…and without Jin here, she didn't really want to dance with anyone else.

She had invited Jamie to come with them, but he politely declined, saying that he was tired, and that dancing wasn't really his "thing". Ling believed it, Jamie seemed to be a shy, quiet person…but still, there was something different about him…something that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but whatever it was…it was something exciting…there was defiantly more to Jamie Parker then he let on…secrets…and Ling had a feeling that at some point, she was going to learn them.

The alley was dark and cold, and even though Xiaoyu had brought a warm jacket, the terrible ghost stories that Hwoarang had told her and Julia made her shiver.

"What am I doing? This is insane! I shouldn't be out here; I should be back in my room! My safe, warm…" Ling trailed off when she noticed what seemed to be a…pile of debris lying in a corner. It was masked in shadows, but Ling thought that they might have been parts to a discarded store mannequin.

"It's probably nothing…but still…" Ling murmured.

As she debated whether or not to check out the pile of…something…several feet in front of her, she heard something that immediately made her choose to investigate. A low noise could be heard from the pile…a piteous moan of anguish and pain…it wasn't a mannequin at all! It was a person! Ling immediately ran towards the moaning…and when she got to the poor victim, it took every ounce of her self control not to scream. The person was Jamie!

"Oh my…Jamie?!" Xiaoyu gasped.

Could this be the handsome young man that she had conversed with just hours ago? The endearingly shy, sweet boy who reassured her that there were no "vampires" or terrible bogeymen out to get her? His once sun highlighted, blond hair was dyed a light pink with sticky blood. The blood made his hair thick, matted and clumpy. He coughed lightly, and blood bubbled from his mouth. In the blood were white, shiny, things. Ling suppressed the urge to gag when she realized that those were his teeth.

Jamie looked like a thrown rag doll, crumpled into a corner after a child had had a temper tantrum.

"Jamie? Oh God…who did this to you? What happened?" Ling questioned desperately, fighting back tears.

In her years fighting in the King of Iron Fist Tournament, Xiaoyu had seen some strange, awful things. Devils, ogres, genetically mutated super soldiers, a kick boxing kangaroo…but nothing could prepare her for this. She looked up and saw the humongous office building bearing down on her. It didn't take her long to figure out that Jamie had plummeted from it. But what was he doing up there in the first place?

Jamie moaned again, and Xiao realized that she had to take action…call an ambulance or do something! For whatever reason, Jamie had managed to survive his fall, and while there probably wasn't any hope for him anyway, maybe a hospital could help.

_Okay…okay…think Ling THINK!!!! I'll go get Julia and Hwoa-NO! There's not enough time!_

If faced with this sort of problem a short two years ago, Ling would have probably just knelt beside Jamie and cried…but that was two years ago…this was now! One of the things that Xiao prided herself on was the fact that she had dramatically changed from the shy, school girl who always relied on Jin and Panda. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket (Xiao was never into purses), and dialed the hospital. She quickly gave the street address, through racking sobs to a woman who seemed eerily calm about the whole situation.

"Hurry please!! It's an emergency and-" Xiao didn't finish when she noticed something happening to Jamie…something that was nothing short of miraculous.

Jamie drifted in and out of consciousness…he knew that he was dying…and the majority of himself wanted to give in…the pain was immense, like nothing he had never felt before. If it weren't for his Nephilim powers, then he would have most assuredly died…but he wasn't even sure if they could pull him out of the numbing, freezing cold talons of death.

When Jamie would open his eyes the sky was lit with millions of stars. Orange ones, green ones, and blue ones…they made Jamie always pull back, even as he teetered on the precipice of death. When he closed his eyes, he heard a woman speak to him in the back of his mind.

_Jamie, you must stay awake! They need you!_

The voice was strong, demanding, yet soft, and motherly. At one point, Jamie felt sure that he saw an angel standing over him. She wore a simple white dress…the woman had kind, gentle eyes, and a soft, comforting smile on her face. A light radiated from her, and she knelt down, and cradled Jamie's shattered body in her arms. Jamie looked into her eyes, as she pressed her hand over his forehead.

Suddenly, he felt some kind of rush return to him…he felt as if he was on a roller coaster, and was about to take the first, deep plunge. He felt strength returning to him slowly…but surely.

_They need you, Child of Angels…You were brought here to finish what I could not…if you leave this reality now, then the world will surely fall into the demon's hand…_

The woman soon left, and Jamie felt himself healing…before he blacked out again, he heard a cry in the night…it sounded far away, but it pulled him back from the icy shores of death like a life preserver.

"Jamie? Oh God…who did this to you? What happened?"

It was Ling! To exhausted and hurt to care that Ling was seeing him rapidly heal, Jamie focused on what the…angel or whatever had told him. Ten minutes later Jamie's felt his spine mend itself completely, along with his arms, legs, and face (he even grew new teeth). By the time he felt strong enough to walk again, he walked with a slight limp…and his pesky ribs still felt cracked. However, his hair was still pink, and gross.

His body was covered in bruises that a good night sleep would probably cure. Ling watched bewildered, as Jamie got up, and looked around frightfully. He had no idea how long he had been out, and it took far too long to heal…and now Xiaoyu was involved! Kazuya was still probably around, and knowing him, he would probably want to finish the job here.

"Jamie…oh my god it's a miracle-" Ling started, tears streaming down her face.

"Let's go!" Jamie grabbed her hand, and pulled her out of the alley.

They needed to get to a crowded place where millions could see if Kazuya decoded to finish what he started…more importantly, he needed to get Ling out of there as soon as possible!

"Jamie what's going on?" Ling shouted angrily.

Jamie wasn't expecting the wrist lock that she pulled, and soon, Jamie was flipped to the ground.

"Ling! We don't have time for this! We need to get out of here!" Jamie shouted.

"Not until you explain what the hell's going on! What are we running from! And how is it that you were about to die twenty minutes ago, and now you're walking with a limp?!"

Jamie wanted to get going, but he couldn't leave Xiaoyu alone…and he knew that if he didn't explain himself to her, it would only make her mistrust him, and that mistrust would eventually, get herself killed. He sighed, obviously defeated.

"Alright…I'll tell you everything…but please, let's go into a restaurant or something…it's…it's not safe out here." Jamie said, straining to find the right words.

Ling agreed, and the two walked into the nearby coffee shop…both eager to get out of the cold…and whatever dangers awaited.

December in Tokyo was never fun.

Cars drove through the slush, their wheel sounds like the surf. Jamie limped into the shop, with Ling supporting him. Tired, beaten, thirsty, cold, and weary to the bone, Jamie managed to walk up to the counter to order some drinks. The shop was decorated like a place on the Left Bank in Paris, complete with cozy nooks, and paintings done to resemble famous Parisian landmarks such as the Champs-des-Elyssier, and Eiffle Tower. Jamie felt in his denim jacket to see if he had any yen. He amazingly did. Eight dollars worth.

_Wow this is my lucky day! Plummet several stories, and still keep the change in my pocket._

He thought sarcastically.

"Oh no…I'm paying!" Ling exclaimed, fishing for her wallet. "You've had a near death experience!"

"Look, every bone in my body was shattered on that concrete…don't make my manly pride suffer the same fate!" Jamie retorted as he paid the tired looking barista, who seemed way past caring what the two talked about. The two sat in a corner, and sipped their drinks.

"I'm not a big coffee drinker. Caffeine a nervous Nephilim makes." Jamie said, chuckling at his own joke as he drank his cocoa.

Ling laughed politely, but Jamie could tell that she didn't find it that funny.

"I'm sorry…that sounded way funnier when I thought about it." He apologized with a sheepish grin.

"It's not that Jamie, I need you to tell me about you…what happened back there? And who's after you?" Ling said, calmly, staring intently at the Nephilim.

Sighing, Jamie realized that he had to begin telling Ling about the Nephilim, and there never ending quest to stop the forces of darkness. And so, Jamie told his tale, of valiant warriors across history, of many different races, who gave their lives to stop the creatures of the shadows from ruling the world. Jamie told Ling about the demons that were out there: Werewolves, zombies, succubi, incubi, vampires, and assorted other monsters with names that were nearly impossible to pronounce.

To her credit, Xiao never flinched from hearing any of it. She never interrupted as Jamie spoke, she only listened with patient eyes and avid ears. Finally, an hour and a half later, Jamie explained what he was doing here, and how Kazuya, Devil, and Jin were related. Finally, she spoke, staring into her cup of cold coffee.

"I've been in two Tekken Tournaments…and each time…each time I always find something that questions my whole perspective on the world I live in. Now that I think about it, these tournaments have been literally overrun with eerie, supernatural events. Close to twenty years ago my uncle…Jin's mother, Julia's adopted mother, and Hwoarang's master, fought a horrible monster named Toshin. To defeat him…Jin's mother Jun, and Hwoarang's master Baek were killed. Years later, when I was introduced to the tournaments…Heihachi Mishima tried to raise a creature named Ogre…all I remember was this hulking, powerful god thing…it was practically unbeatable, but it got worse when it melded with Heihachi's essence it became this horrible…" Xiao paused, trying to find the right words.

"It was like someone took a whole bunch of zoo animals and put them in the blender huh?" Jamie asked.

"How did you know?"

"I had to read the diaries on the "Ogre incident" Patrick Horton gave his life to defeat that monster…these tournaments have gained quite a reputation. And we Nephilim aren't usually supposed to mess with them…basically it's a 'human vs. human' issue…but this Kazuya issue is…well, it's bad." Jamie finished.

"I knew of Jin and Kazuya's problems…I guess I should've been more proactive about finding a solution." Ling said, staring into her mug.

"Don't beat yourself up Ling, there was nothing you could've done. This is a Nephilim issue here! I mean, it maybe the King of Iron Fist Tournament 5. But to me, it's all about one thing: Angels vs. Demons." Jamie said.

All was quiet for a moment…then Ling spoke up. "Jamie, I want to help…I need to help in anyway I can. I was sixteen during the third tournament…Patrick was sixteen too…he died…he died for me…while I was at an age where my biggest concerns were: 'Oh my God, how can I make Jin Kazama notice me?!' poor Patrick was probably thinking 'This could be my last day on earth.'"

Realizing that Ling was serious about helping Jamie decided that it was alright.

"Of course you can help. But you can't tell anyone what's going on. Basically, you can handle research mode, but let me do the dirty work…I can't risk putting you, or any other fighter in danger."

Ling agreed to Jamie's terms, and the two friends left the coffee shop…walking towards the Mishima Hotel, Jamie wondered what he was going to do. The tournament started tomorrow, and there were millions of places he couldn't be while participating. Still…he figured that he would have nights and breaks to figure battle plans. Right now, all Jamie was concerned about was getting back to the hotel, taking a shower, and maybe getting five hours of sleep…


	6. Chapter 5: Urban Legends

Authors Note: Thanks to everyone who are taking the time to review! I really appreciate it…please keep reviewing!!!! I hope you enjoy this new chapter! In this one, we here more unsettling news of the paranormal, and with this tournament…nightly patrols…and new found friendships…what in the world is the Nephilim to do? PLLLLEEEAAAZZZZEEEE REEEEVVVIIIIEEEEWWWW!!!!!

If Jamie Parker had an addiction to anything, it was slumber. Since his calling, his nocturnal habits had changed dramatically. He patrolled at night, and often didn't get to bed until about 4 in the morning. A good night sleep for him consisted of five hours…which was what he had hoped he would get last night.

He got three.

He felt someone shaking him, and it roused Jamie from his coveted slumber. He glanced up from under the mountain of blankets to see his roommate, world renowned British Boxer Steve Fox, standing over him. Steve seemed like he was a nice enough guy. He was in his mid twenties, and had a sort of easy going way about him. His hair was about as blond as Jamie's own, and shaggy. Steve was apparently at the club last night too. He and a fetching Portuguese woman named Christie Monteiro (also a competitor in the tournament) had "hooked up" (Jamie always wondered what the hell that word meant exactly) last night…while Jamie was flung from a buildings' roof.

"Jamie, c'mon man! Ya gotta get up! We need to be downstairs in fifteen minutes!"

_Oh crap! The tournament!!!!_

Jamie's immediately leapt out of bed. He fished around in his luggage for clothes to wear.

_Someday it will be completely acceptable to go anywhere in boxers…but until that time; you need to get dressed PRONTO!!!_

Steve walked into the bathroom, while Jamie settled on some clothes that were baggy enough to fight in…and looked relatively decent on him. Jamie chose to wear a pair of well loved, frayed and ripped, somewhat baggy, denim jeans, and a red t-shirt. The t-shirt had Ralph Wiggum from The Simpsons emblazoned on it. Ralph had his finger ceremoniously stuck in his nose, and the caption read:

"I can dress myself."

After dressing, Jamie was ready to walk out the door; Steve decided to walk with him.

"So, you have a bit o' rough n' tumble with someone then?" Steve asked.

Whenever Jamie thought of the human brain, he always thought of it as some kind of giant, 19th century H.G. Wells machine…complete with whirring cogs, steam, and wheels…Jamie's gears were a little rusty, as he had just woken up, so he had trouble processing Steve's cockney accented, British-isms.

"Huh?" Jamie responded.

"Your arms mate, they're all black n' blue." Steve said, gesturing to the colorful kaleidoscope of pain that had become Jamie's limbs.

"Yeah…I guess you could say that." Jamie responded with a chuckle. Steve looked like he wanted to hear more, so Jamie quickly changed the subject. "What about you? I heard that you hooked up with Chrissy…Monteiro?" Jamie asked, purposefully getting the name wrong to better his chances of hearing Steve tell his story.

The British Boxer gave his trademark smirk that probably turned a lot of women into fans of boxing.

"_Christie_ Monterio mate! She is sumthin' alright. We were sorta' together during the fourth tournament…then we kinda stopped talking…but that changed after last night."

"Really?" Jamie asked, with feigned interest.

"She like's it when I call her kitten, and when I nibble on her-"Steve began.

"Oh look! It's Hwoarang and the gang!" Jamie interrupted, saying the first thing that came to mind…only then did he realize how incredibly lame it sounded.

Jamie and Steve walked over to the rounded table where, Hwoarang, Julia, and Xiaoyu sat. Jamie looked around at Mishima Hotel's expansive dining area. Rounded tables with white table clothes were positioned around the room. In the center of the room was a steaming buffet table…which, to Jamie, was one of the most ingenious inventions that human life had ever come up with.

"Can I sit?" Jamie asked timidly, feeling for a minute like he was back in high school, and having to face cafeteria politics.

Hwoarang shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "Free country."

"He means yes." Julia added.

Jamie gratefully took a seat, next to Xiao and Steve. Soon, everyone began talking about the various activities that they had gone on last night.

"Yeah, we didn't see you leave Xiao. We felt kinda bad that you left by yourself." Julia said, voice thick with concern for her friend.

"It's alright, I just wanted to get some air. Besides, I saw Jamie, and we had a cup of coffee." Xiao explained, while she peeled her orange.

Immediately, all eyes were on Jamie.

"Jamie? I thought you were too tired to go out?" Julia asked, as a mischievous grin played on her lips.

"Hey, anyone who wants to make Jin Kazama's life miserable, by stealing his girl is okay by me!" Hwoarang crowed happily, as he slapped a hand roughly on Jamie's back.

Jamie and Xiao both lowered their eyes, and Jamie's face turned as red as Hwoarang's hair.

"It wasn't like that…" Jamie said quietly.

"It really wasn't…he offered to buy me a cup, and I took it." Ling stated, in an all business tone.

"Well, I'm glad that you had Jamie to protect you Xiao!" Hwoarang retorted.

The red haired Korean wrapped his arm around Jamie's shoulder…Jamie wondered what Hwoarang meant exactly.

"Here he goes again…" Julia sighed, and rolled her eyes.

"What's this then?" Steve asked, glancing up from his plate of scrambled eggs.

"Well, y'know that girl who was killed the other night," Hwoarang began. "The one who had the 'neck rupture' or whatever, anyway, the hospital she's at…the patients are starting to show symptoms of'neck rupturing'!" In fact, some of the doctors have vanished too! The police are keepin' it quiet, but ya gotta wonder…" Hwoarang trailed off, adding an air of creepiness to his tale.

"That's just a stupid rumor! Doo San Hwoarang, you're just trying to scare us and it isn't working anymore!" Julia scoffed.

Ling and Jamie exchanged quick glances, before Jamie dipped back into Julia's tirade.

"Anyway, I have it on personal authority that those coroners have taken an emergency leave of absence because they've been working to hard," Julia smiled. "In fact, they are so strapped for coroners, that they asked me to come down tonight to help. It's not really my field of study, but physiology is one of my hobbies and…"

"What do you see in her? I thought you of all people would never date anyone who's part of the nerd herd!" Steve asked Hwoarang.

Julia slapped Steve upside the head, while Hwoarang laughed. Xiaoyu pulled Jamie close and spoke softly.

"Jamie, I don't like this…"

"I know. It looks like this vampire issue isn't finished yet…I'll check it out tonight, but you need to convince Julia not to go…this thing has 'all you can eat buffet' written all over it."

"Alright."

"Walk with me…" Jamie whispered as he pulled his chair out.

As they walked to the buffet, the two began to speak more freely.

"Jamie, what if Kazuya, Devil, and the vampires are all connected somehow?" Xiao asked.

"It wouldn't surprise me. I read that people with Devil Genes tend to attract demons towards them. The devils that live inside the person are like demon warlords or deities or whatever. All these demons are probably devil's henchmen."

"Jamie…if those vampires take that hospital…"

"Believe me Ling, I know. Devil's army will have tons of new recruits and with all those sick people, they'll have plenty to munch on," Jamie sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "The bright side is, that this girl, who I'm sure has been turned, has only been in there for two nights…we still have time to save that hospital…just not a lot of it."

"Remember our deal. I want to help!" Xiao responded.

"I know. Help me by talking to Julia, she'll listen to you."

Jamie glanced down at the buffet counter, with a plate in his hands. Heaps of delicious items were placed in silver trays. Jamie was incredibly hungry when he first walked in…but now, he felt as if eating anything would make him vomit. He noticed Steve walking over to the drink counter and pouring himself a glass of tomato juice…red tomato juice.

Jamie Parker the Nephilim shuddered with revulsion…

Author's Note: Alright, I've set the scene for another clandestine meeting with Kazuya, and his evil minions…oh, and another thing, I'm not trying to bash Christie or Steve…in fact, those two are my fav. Characters…I'm just going by what kind of attitude that those two seem to put in the game…I like Steve, because he looks like me if I was in Tekken, and I love Christie because I study capoeira. I just think Christie is one of those girls who is beautiful and knows it…but not bitchy or anything. And besides, I think those two make a good couple. Anyway, please review and let me know what to do, I don't want my story to get redundant or anything…okay, next chapter will cover more of the tournament aspect, following that, will be Jamie's patrol of the hospital. Okay, and here's the promo to get you to read more!

Will Julia be alright? Will the vampire's indeed take over the hospital? Will Jamie get critically wounded again?! Read on, and find out!


	7. Chapter 6: Wrath of the Beast

Author's Note: This chapter will cover the tournament aspect of the story…not much else going on right now, you'll have to read the rest…oh! Actually, there is a couple of things I wanted to ask…okay, here we go…um, if anyone knows anything at all about Asuka Kazama, if they could send it to me that'd be really cool. My email is on the profile page…or you could just tell me via reviews (nudge, nudge, wink wink). PLLLEEEEZZZEEEEE REEEVVVVVIIIIEEEEWWWW!!!!!

In the midst of fighting the forces of darkness, battling Kazuya, and nearly dying, Jamie had completely forgotten about the tournament aspect of this mission. He was abruptly reminded when Kazuya (seemingly normal looking today in his incredibly expensively tailored suit) had presented the tournament roster for the day. A graph on an overhead projector showed pictures of the various fighters, who their opponents were, where the fights would take place, and what times that the competitors had to leave.

This year, the King of Iron Fist Tournament hosted a bevy of new fighters…there were close to about fifty more fighters in this tournament then there were in the fourth one. It seemed like the newbies were all going against some of the returning veterans. Kazuya ran down the list of matches with the speed of a tortoise on tranquilizers. Jamie tried to listen as hard as he could; he hoped that he wouldn't have to fight anyone remotely tough…his body was still healing, and if he was going to go out later tonight, then he needed all of his powers to be working at the top of their game.

Kazuya kept reading from his list, until he finally got to the end. He paused, and gave Jamie a discreet and wicked grin.

"…Jamie Parker vs. Craig Marduk."

The color drained from Jamie's face and he suddenly felt weak in the knees.

Craig Marduk?! The resident psycho (other then Kazuya, Brian, and the late Heihachi) who was famous for telling Julia that he would "Break her Face" in the last tournament. Marduk was the man who had ended Julia's tenure in the fourth tournament. He fought viciously, ruthlessly, and without mercy…Nephilim or not, Jamie was going to have some problems.

"Well Jamie, it was nice knowing you." Hwoarang said between fits of laughter.

"C'mon Hwoarang, don't scare him." Julia chastised.

"Tough break mate…" Steve said sympathetically.

"What are you going to do Jamie?" Xiaoyu asked.

"What I've gotta do…we'll fight," Jamie turned, and looked at his friends. "And I'll win."

Hwoarang stifled a snicker. "You've got some brass ones for such a young kid, I'll give you that Jamie…but …"

"But nothing!" Julia interrupted. "That's the spirit Jamie! You go kick that Neanderthals' ass for me! I don't know about everyone else, but I'll stop by and see it!"

Everyone agreed…accept Hwoarang, who began to eat Steve's left over eggs. Julia glanced at him, and then discreetly stomped on his foot.

"Ow!!! Will you stop hitting me?!" He shouted. "Oh, right, yeah I'll be there if I can't think of anything else to do…good luck man, you'll need it!"

Realizing that this was the closest thing to support that Jamie would get from Hwoarang…he decided to take it…he only hoped that the support of his newfound friends would be enough to take on Marduk…well, that and his Nephilim powers.

Craig Marduk had killed a man in a bar in Arizona…granted, Marduk was heavily intoxicated at the time, but he had managed to crush his victim's head like a rotting mango…with his bare hands! Marduk had gone to jail for over five years for first degree manslaughter…Jamie had to go to traffic school for getting a ticket…Marduk was a man who kept to himself mostly…he rarely talked, but he was a man who spoke volumes with his presence, and menacing glares. On the rare occasion that he did speak, he normally used noncommittal phrases, with words generally composed of one or two syllables.

Jamie loved to talk, and while shy and quiet around new people, he often warmed up to them very fast. Whenever he was killing demons and monsters, he channeled his fear into his sarcastic quips and puns. No one spoke to Marduk, even Hwoarang, the tournament's resident "bad ass" seemed to avoid him whenever possible. Jamie and Marduk, two exact opposites, thrown into a ring together…they were like oil and fire…and the results would be explosive.

Of course, Jamie knew that Kazuya had deliberately put him in the ring with Marduk. The demon that possessed the Japanese businessman was smart, but Jamie knew the kind of game that Kazuya was playing. Kazuya couldn't just outright kill Jamie, if the Nephilim was in the tournament…if that happened, then Jamie's strange disappearance would raise questions among the media, and fighter's in the tournament. The King of Iron Fist served as a safety cushion for Jamie…whose life literally depended on the outcome of this fight. If Jamie lost, and he was out of the tournament, he would fall into obscurity, making it much easier for Kazuya to kill him.

The limo pulled to a stop at a crowded intersection, and the driver brusquely informed Jamie that he needed to get out. Confused, Jamie complied with the disgruntled driver who sped off as soon as the Nephilim got out of the car. Jamie gazed at the breathtaking, glittering lights, and flashing billboards…he was in the famed Shinjuku district! Known as the Time Square of Tokyo, the Shinjuku district was home to hundreds of shops, and clubs that catered to just about anyone's fancy.

Heart thudding in his chest, Jamie realized that he was standing in the heart of the district! Crowd control gates and policemen kept the crowd at bay…that's when Jamie realized that this was going to be his fighting arena! Jamie took several seconds to take his surroundings in. The crowd cheered when they saw his face. Jamie blushed several shades of red, gave a sheepish grin, and a small wave to the crowd.

He heard people chant his name, and he had trouble believing that they were here to see him. Several girls in school uniforms smiled and waved hysterically at Jamie to come over…he didn't see the harm and did so. In amazingly fluent English, they asked if they could take a picture with him, he more then happily obliged, and was he felt an (as corny as it sounds) overwhelming sense of happiness for making these girl's day.

Jamie continued to work the crowd by filling out some autographs, until he noticed a large shadow descend over him. Jamie winced as he turned, and found himself staring into the dull, green eyes of his opponent Craig Marduk. Marduk gave Jamie an unsettling grin, then began to speak in a gravely voice, rusty with lack of use, and well acquainted with alcohol and cigarettes.

"Show's over teen dream!" Marduk said in a menacing tone.

For once, Jamie didn't have a snappy come back for the hulking behemoth. Jamie only followed Marduk towards the center of the ring to begin the fight.

"Don't think that just 'cuz you're the youngest fighter here I'm gonna go easy on you." Marduk muttered loud enough for Jamie to hear.

"Same goes for you gramps!" Jamie responded, feeling some of his old spunk return.

"Oh that's it YOU'RE DEAD!!!" Marduk shouted.

The fight proceeded after Marduk's threat. Jamie had fought enough incredibly strong demons to realize that what they had in strength, they lacked in speed…hopefully Marduk was the same way. Jamie began the fight by unleashing a relatively simple combination. With his back leg, he set loose a snap kick, followed by a roundhouse, then a crescent kick. Jamie landed each attack, but Marduk only grunted in response…instead of grimacing in pain, the behemoth only looked annoyed...Jamie might as well have been attacking Marduk with trained fleas.

After Jamie landed the crescent kick, Marduk pivoted backwards and let loose a devastating back kick. Jamie, thinking he could block the kick was sorely mistaken. The kick shattered Jamie's guard, and flung him into a phone booth. Jamie heard the devastating crack of glass and he involuntarily sank to his knees. The Nephilim meant to get up, but found that his legs wouldn't let him. The countdown ended, and Jamie had lost the first round!

Mentally cursing himself for being so stupid, Jamie vowed that he would wipe that annoying smirk off of Marduk's face.

"What's the matter little boy? Can't keep up with the big dogs?"

"Sorry, I was distracted by your disturbing body hair, and sickeningly tight bike shorts."

That did it; Marduk screamed in rage and flew at Jamie. Because he was so angry, Marduk kept growing careless with his random swipes at the Nephilim. Jamie dodged the grabs easily, and soon backed himself against a store's window.

"I've got you now!" Marduk shouted.

Jamie smirked at the Neanderthal, and ducked the blow intended for his face. Marduk's fist slammed into the glass, shattering it…and cutting his hand pretty bad in the process. In his crouched position, Jamie swung his leg out, and tripped Marduk onto the harsh concrete. The wind knocked out of the fighter, Jamie had won round two!

As soon as the final round was announced, Marduk flew at Jamie, knocking the Nephilim harshly onto his back. Marduk straddled Jamie's chest, and began attempted to pound Jamie's face into a thick paste with his huge, television crushing hands. Marduk landed one blow, and it left Jamie reeling, and screaming in pain. He couldn't take another one like that again. Marduk grinned at him before raising his bloodied fist.

"Say goodnight bitch!" He crowed.

His fist flamed down, but at the last second Jamie grabbed hold of it and squeezed it with both hands…focusing all of his Nephilim strength into his fists. Marduk grimaced in pain, as Jamie squeezed Marduk's hand as hard as he could. Finally, Jamie heard the ear shattering snap of Marduk's hand, as the bones in it began to break…one by one…

"Good night bitch!" Jamie responded with a smile.

He planted his foot into Marduk's chest, and, flung him off of him. Marduk flew into the phone booth next to the one that Jamie had crashed into…this time though, the phone booth broke completely!

"And the winner of round three and this match…JAMIE PARKER!!!" The announcer shouted in his microphone.

Jamie got up and smiled, waving to his fans…he then remembered that Marduk lay injured in a pile. The Nephalim jogged over, and offered his hand to his fallen opponent.

"Don't touch me!" Marduk grumbled.

Jamie shrugged his shoulders indifferently, and worked the crowd a little more, before deciding it was time to leave. The Nephilim flopped back into the limo, and rummaged through his backpack, to check his cell phone. He found a new voice message on it:

"Jamie its Xiao! Listen, I tried to talk to Julia, but I couldn't find her anywhere! I've left a ton of messages on her phone, but she's not answering it! I asked Hwoarang where she was, and he told me that she went to the hospital right after her match! Look, it's almost sun down…you need to get to the hospital!! Please Jamie," Xiaoyu's voice sounded like it was on the brink of tears. "You need to save her, she's my best friend!"

Jamie immediately checked the time that the message was sent…over an hour and a half ago…Frantically, Jamie called Xiaoyu's room, then her cell phone…both clicked immediately over to their voice mails. With a heavy heart, Jamie realized that Ling had probably gone after Julia…even though he had expressly told her not too...she didn't seem the type to sit at home whenever trouble was brewing...she wanted to help, and be as proactive about it as possible. Such bravery was both commendable...and stupid.

"Shit!" Jamie cursed under his breath, and kicked the seat in frustration.

It looked like he was going to have to go into battle a lot sooner then he had planned…there was no time to get back to his room for weapons…or to formulate a strategy…he would have to act now…if anything happened to Ling or Julia then Jamie would never be able to forgive himself.

"Hey, is there anyway we can stop by the hospital?" Jamie asked the driver.

"Sorry sir, I'm only supposed to take you to the hotel and to the fighting arenas…I could get fired for taking you anywhere else."

_What the hell kind of policy is that?! Screw it, I don't have time to contemplate the contracts of limo drivers…I've gotta get to Xiaoyu and Julia before those vamps turn them into the all you can eat buffet!_

Jamie opened the door of the limo and jumped out, remembering to tuck and roll. The result was an incredibly painful somersault onto the crowded side walk. Ignoring the stares of the people on the street, the Nephilim ran as fast as he could towards the hospital…praying to whatever higher power that was out there, to please give him enough time to save his friends…hoping that this prayer of his, like so many others, would not fall upon deaf, uncaring ears…


	8. Chapter 7: Harbingers of Euthanasia

Author's Note: Hey, what's up everyone? I'm on Christmas break right now, and I plan to work on this story some more! I hope I'm doing ok…please keep reviewing, because I'd really appreciate it, and your reviews make my day  Oh, and in this chappie I drop an f-bomb…it's important to the character who uses it, let me assure you, and it fits with the mood…but don't worry, it's only one…if you're offended then…my bad…but review anyway cuz I loves me some reviews!!!!

The morgue inside Mishima Hospital was quiet…deathly quiet. Julia Chang wrapped her arms around her chest in an effort to keep warm. She shivered slightly, and when she exhaled, she could see her breath circle and curl into nothingness, like lost spirits clamoring towards the heavens. The morgue had to be kept almost frigid to keep the bodies from decomposing, Julia knew this, and wanted to get this job over with so she could leave.

She had gotten the call this morning, and at first, she had been ecstatic…ever since she was a small child, she had always had a fascination with science…possessing incredible intelligence at a young age, Julia was known to be an extremely gifted young woman with genius capabilities…now, as a Junior at The University of Arizona, and top in her class, she was working with a research group blazing new trails in the relatively new study of cloning, and how it could be used to reforest her native people's homeland.

Julia may have been a woman of science, but she was no Dana Scully…she did keep an open mind to the paranormal. She always knew that there were certain things and events out there that science could never explain…such was the case with the demon known as Ogre. Even though Jin Kazama and the mysterious young man Patrick defeated it, the creature had almost killed her…Hwoarang had swept in at the last minute to save her…and the two had been steadily dating ever since.

She wished that he was with her now, she didn't like being in this depressing place by herself. Sighing, Julia put her scrubs, gloves, and face mask on. After placing her waist-length brown hair into a messy ponytail, she was ready to begin the autopsy. She glanced down at the body and read the toe tag on it. Her name was Ava Cohen, and she was twenty-seven years old.

Ava had shoulder length brown hair that splayed out around her head on the cold, hospital slab. A woman slight of build, she was pretty, but unremarkably so. She had a look of utter contentment on her face…really; she only looked as if she was sleeping. Julia sighed, and began the autopsy by turning the overhead microphone on.

"This is Julia Chang, filling in for Doctor Yomoda today, on December 14, 2004. I will be working on victim Ava Cohen, number 007892," Julia turned away from the body to pick up the scalpel. "First, I will begin with the basic, Y-Incision and…"

As Julia turned, she gasped in horror as the body slowly rose from the platform. Ava grinned wickedly at the frightened Julia before lashing her arm out, and wrapping her cold, vice like fingers around Julia's neck…

The Mishima's were one of the most influential families in Tokyo. They owned a multi million dollar, world renowned corporation, a prestigious high school, (ranked as one of the top ten in the world), a five star hotel, and a hospital with state-of-the-art facilities….Jamie had a feeling that this was where Julia and Xiaoyu were.

He ran as fast as he could towards the hospital. His breath came out in ragged pants, as his heart beat steadfastly to the rhythm of his sneakered feet against the pavement. Pumping out full Nephilim strength, Jamie made it to the hospital in twenty minutes. Lights were on in the windows, and Jamie could see movement, and the bluish glows of televisions in the patient's rooms.

On the outside everything looked appeared normal…but Jamie could sense them…he could sense them stirring…stirring from down below…down where the dead were kept. He had to stop them from reaching the upper levels, and he had to do it fast! Just as he was about to walk in, Jamie heard the clatter of several cans in the alley to the right of him. Quickly, he whirled around and dropped into his fighter's stance.

_Oh crap! Just what I don't need! If it's Kazuya, I'm screwed!_

However, it wasn't Kazuya who emerged from the shadows…instead it was the mysterious young man with the hooded jacket. Of course, his face was hidden by the jacket's hood.

"You'll never get in that way." He explained in a calm, even tone of voice.

Jamie quickly assessed the situation, he didn't look like he wanted to fight…but that could change in an instant…so Jamie decided to initiate a rather neutral dialogue.

"Uh-huh…well, it's a public building, and there're people inside…chances are that it's not locked."

The man chuckled under his breath. "I didn't mean it that way. You're here to rescue the girl Julia right? The vampires are in the morgue, in the basement of the hospital."

"I know that…which is why I need to get going!" Jamie said, as he started towards the door.

"Do you honestly think that the hospital staff will let you down there? The morgue is a restricted area, it's kept guarded…you may be the Nephilim, but I don't think you can handle twenty, able bodied men."

Jamie was starting to get aggravated. "Why should I even be listening to you?! You're the one who sucker punched me in the side of the head! And how in the hell do you know Julia! Who are you?!" He shouted.

"I had to stop you from what you had planned to do…this issue with Kazuya…it's none of your concern…"

Jamie laughed bitterly. "This issue? This is more then an issue! If Kazuya…"

"Listen, get in there, kill the vampires, save Julia, and leave. Leave Tokyo and never return. If you stay, you'll only suffer the same fate as the last two Nephilim who got involved with this tournament."

"Wait? What?" Jamie asked in disbelief.

Of course he had heard of Patrick Horton's valiant attempts to stop Ogre in the third tournament, but to Jamie's knowledge, Patrick was the only other Nephilim (besides himself) who had entered any of the King of Iron Fist Tournaments. Who was this other mysterious Nephilim? Was this masked man lying? Or was there truth to his words?

Jamie would have liked to find out more, but he knew that he couldn't. Xiaoyu, Julia, and countless others depended on him…he had to go!

"Look, if you're gonna be the mysterious, riddle speaking wise man who always appears at the opportune moments…the least you can do is tell me your name."

"Sorry, can't do that." The man replied with a cruel smirk.

"Fine, then I guess I'll see you the next time I decide I decide to plunge headfirst into certain death." Jamie muttered as he ran into the hospital.

He stood there motionless for several moments, before he took the hood off of his jacket.

"_Sayonara, Oni-gurashima…_." Jin Kazama murmured as he began to walk off…snow crunching under his feet.

Jamie walked as calmly as he could into the hospital waiting room, he moved to the receptionist's desk, smiled, and began to speak in the most educated, pleasant voice he could muster.

"Hi. I was wondering if you could direct me to the morgue?"

The receptionist looked up from her V.C. Andrews romance novel, and gave Jamie a patented "go to hell" look.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"I'm here to see Miss Julia Chang. I'm a friend of hers and-"

"I'm going to tell you what I told that red head. No one is allowed in the morgue without a pass!" The receptionist immediately slammed the glass window on Jamie's face.

Dejected, Jamie looked around the waiting room and found Hwoarang slouched in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs. He was reading an old back issue of Bass Fishing monthly. In the seat next to him were two roses…obviously for Julia.

"Hwoarang?" Jamie asked.

The red haired Korean looked up from his magazine and glanced over at Jamie.

"Oh, hey Jamie." He said with an air of aloofness.

Hwoarang moved the flowers off the seat, and allowed Jamie to sit down.

"What brings you here? I heard about your fight, good job. And that should mean a lot coming from me, because I don't give out compliments too often. In fact, just last night I thought that you were just a pus-"

"Thanks," Jamie interrupted. "Listen, have you heard from Julia lately? Or Ling?"

"What?" Hwoarang looked at him strangely. "No, I haven't heard from either of them. I'm just waiting for Jules 'cause she got upset about me laughin' at Steve's nerd herd comment today…so I'm gonna take her out to dinner and stuff…" Hwoarang glared menacingly at Jamie. "And if you tell anyone about this I will kill you!!!"

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone…but listen Hwoarang, something's going on at this hospital. Something that I can't really explain right now but…"

Jamie was interrupted by a loud, ear piercing scream from one of the guards. Gun shots resounded through the hospital…as well as the sounds of nails through flesh. Hairstylists knew the fried egg smell of a new perm, Nephilim knew the thick, coppery stench of blood…which was what the air reeked of. Suddenly, the power cut out, and the hospital was blanketed in instant darkness.

The air was pregnant with screams as people rushed out as soon as possible.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOIN' ON!!" Hwoarang shouted.

"It's happening…oh God…" Jamie muttered, as he immediately sprang out of his chair.

"What? What's happening?!" Hwoarang asked Jamie.

Immediately, two people ran up from the basement stares. They wore white lab coats…stained with blood.

"Jamie…" Hwoarang began.

The vampires glared at Jamie and hissed like agitated cats…exposing their elongated fang teeth.

"Always wondered what the blood of a Nephilim tastes like…looks like I'm gonna get my chance!" One of them shouted.

"I heard that it's thick, hot, and full of spice!" The other added.

"You've been eating way too much Cajun!" Jamie retorted.

"Nepha-what?!" Hwoarang asked.

He didn't have time to get a response when the two vampires ran at them. Jamie immediately started the combat with a jumping spin kick. The blow connected, and hit one of the vampires in the jaw. Hwoarang gasped in amazement as Jamie landed two spins before hitting the ground. The vampire staggered back…jaw broken from the blow. Jamie immediately grabbed him and flung him across the room towards the receptionist's office, now vacant.

To his credit, Hwoarang was doing exceptionally well against the second vampire. He unleashed a flurry of lighting fast round house, and crescent kicks, his combo ended with a devastating axe kick that hit the top of the creature's head. Stunned, the vampire fell, and Hwoarang moved to help Jamie, who had grabbed hold of his stunned vampire, and shoved its head through the receptionist's now open window.

Jamie grabbed the sliding glass, and slammed it down as fast as he could…the makeshift guillotine worked, and the beheaded vampire exploded in blue flame.

"What the…" Hwoarang marveled.

Wordlessly, Jamie put his fist through the glass, breaking it, and then picked up a wickedly long, sharp piece of glass. Hwoarang's stunned vampire was starting to get up…not before Jamie leapt on its back, and lopped its head off.

"Jamie what's going on?!?! What the fuc-"

"Since we're pressed for time let me give you the abridged version. Those were vampires, they're real, in fact, almost every demon you've heard about in stories happen to be real. I'm a Nephilim, I'm supposed to fight these things…I'm here to stop Kazuya…he's unleashed a cadre of vamps to attack here."

"Jamie…Julia…" Hwoarang said at a loss for words.

"I know…I'm here to save her. Long story, but Ling knows what I am. She's here to save Julia too…she came here even though I told her not too."

"Jamie…we've gotta get them out!" Hwoarang exclaimed.

"I know…we don't have a lot of time…let's go!" Jamie exclaimed as they ran down the hall towards the basement.

As they ran they heard a scream emanated from behind two, wooden double doors. A crucifix was displayed on the immediate left wall of the door indicated that this was the chapel. Hwoarang frantically tried the door.

"It's locked!"

"Stand back!" Jamie warned.

Hwoarang did so, and Jamie preformed a side kick on the left door. The door exploded off its hinges in a shower of splinters. Without missing a beat, Jamie entered the chapel with Hwoarang in tow. What they saw was nothing short of appalling. They saw three vampires, two nurses, and a doctor ganging up on Xiaoyu. She began to back up from the approaching demons…clearly; she was on the losing end of this fight. Jamie and Hwoarang had arrived just in time.

Everyone turned as they saw Jamie standing in the threshold.

"We love a good entrance." One of the nurses said, her voice dripping with seduction.

"How're you guys with death scenes?" Jamie asked.

He quickly ran at them with his shard of glass. Hwoarang followed suit. Jamie performed a 360 spin with his arm out, when he landed the nurse's head, fell to the ground…and immediately erupted in blue flames along with the body. As he landed the second nurse shrieked angrily, and tackled Jamie to the ground.

"GET THE HOLY WATER!!!!" Jamie shouted, as he wrestled with the woman vampire.

Xiao quickly to the back of the altar and grabbed a small, glass cruet of the water. She opened the bottle, and poured it liberally on the creature. It screamed, and toppled onto Jamie…it's back sizzling like cooking bacon. Jamie immediately flipped her off of him, and pulled the wooden crucifix off the altar. The vampire, still stunned, stood there as Jamie ran her through with the cross. The creature looked at Jamie in pure rage before erupting into azure fire.

Meanwhile, Hwoarang was busily fighting off the doctor. Jamie was amazed at how well he was doing. He unleashed devilishly fast kicks, and ended with a spinning jump kick.

"The head! Kick off it's head!!" Jamie screamed.

Hwoarang nodded, and performed another spin kick…this time, the head actually fell off! The body, like the others disappeared.

"Like busting a rotten melon." Hwoarang muttered.

"You alright?" Jamie asked Ling.

"I'm fine…I ran in here but I didn't know that they were…waiting." Ling said between pants.

"Okay. Let's get Julia!" Hwoarang proclaimed.

Jamie nodded in agreement, and then looked at Ling.

"Xiao, I know you're injured, but it's much safer if you stick with us." Jamie explained

"Don't worry about me! It's Julia that we have to worry about!"

"Agreed! Let's go!" Jamie proclaimed.

The exited the ruined chapel and made their way down to the basement…down to the very pit of despair.

Jamie never did like hospitals…he always felt uncomfortable and uneasy in them…and this little adventure was not alleviating his fears in the slightest. Still, he had to press on; Julia was counting on him, as were countless others. At first Jamie worried about the other patients, but Xiao had explained to Jamie that at Mishima General, when the power went out, the emergency lock down system initiated…the program takes about a minute to load, so the vampires that had escaped from the morgue couldn't beat the lock down…however, the basement door was badly damaged when they had escaped, so fortunately, it wasn't locked.

The morgue was a complicated mix of endless, frigid halls, and Jamie feared that they would never make it in time…until he heard a scream erupt from a room in the far wall. Jamie opened the door, and found a scene nothing short of appalling. It looked as if a battle had broken out in here, instruments, and other surgical tools lay scattered about.

On the other side of the room, a naked, female vampire held Julia within her grasp. Julia's eyes were wide with fear, and her neck had two small, pin pricks on it. Blood was smeared on the vampire's face, and she grinned viciously.

"Hwoarang!" Julia screamed in terror.

"Julia!!" Hwoarang was about to run to her but Jamie held him back.

"Nephilim huh? Looks more like a brain dead surfer!" The vampire snapped.

"Yeppers! So, you're the host of this little monster mash huh?" Jamie asked.

"Actually, my lord and master Kazuya is the one responsible for this glorious event!"

"Well, consider me the party foul!" Jamie shouted as he lunged at the vampire.

She flung Julia at him, and the two collided to the ground. Jamie helped the stunned girl up, and Hwoarang grabbed her.

"Get out of here! Take Julia out!" Jamie commanded.

Miraculously, they agreed, leaving Jamie with the vampire.

"Let's try this again." Jamie said as he dropped into a fighter stance.

"I'd be honored baby. I'm the girl you've been waiting for all your life." The vampire snarled.

"Thanks, but no! I'm more into girls, who go for a diet consisting of solid food, and y'know, aren't homicidal maniacs." Jamie retorted.

The two fought, in addition to being a vampire, this woman was a world champion at karate…needless to say, Jamie had problems. She was fast, and could unleash attacks before Jamie had a chance to block them. When he did hit her, it did little to no damage. Finally, she back handed the Nephilim, and he was flung across the room, and into the tray of supplies.

Jamie's mind was reeling, and he frantically looked for anything to help him out…his eyes fell on a stainless steel surgical saw.

_Not that I'm complaining, but it's just unsettling how they leave this stuff just lying around!_

Jamie grabbed the saw and leapt up; in the blink of an eye he revved the engine and ran at the vampire. The saw was an awkward weapon, and with the constant vibration, it was hard for Jamie to aim with it. Finally, he just pulled the saw up, and at an angle…the vampire screamed, and erupted into cerulean flame.

"Whoa…now I've got a new respect for lumberjacks!"

Slowly, Jamie pulled himself up, and met up with Xiao, Hwoarang, and Julia outside. The police started to pull up, and the four got out before they had to deal with the cumbersome tasks of interrogation. Julia was fine…just exceedingly tired, and shaken up. Jamie knew that he would have to explain everything to Hwoarang and Julia…but first they needed to get back to the hotel…to warmth, food, and, most of all, safety.

Authors Note: So what didja think? Please review! and oh, here's the translation to Jin's cryptic comment:

"_Sayonara, Oni-gurashima…_."

"Good bye, killer of demons"

Pretty cool huh? anyway, i hoped you enjoyed this chappie! give me some feedback please!


	9. Chapter 8: Aftermath

Author's Note: Hey everyone! It's Moontearz!!!! Servin' it up finger lickin' good! I'm back to give you another chappie! This one'll focus more on Jamie explaining himself to Hwoarang and Julia…and the aftermath of the hospital attack…hence, the chapter title.

An icy sleet drummed noisily outside the window of the hotel room. The four sat around the room, staring, each contemplating the latest turn of events just a mere half an hour ago. The television was on, but just for noise. The program was one of those Vh1 shows "Awesomely bad..." something, Jamie wasn't sure what it was…nor did he really care.

Julia sat on her bed, still wearing her doctor's scrubs. She had dressed her wound after Jamie had a chance to look at it. Fortunately, the vampire hadn't taken too much of her blood. Apparently, she had managed to struggle with the demon for a little bit, the creature just started biting her when Jamie and company had stormed in.

"Jamie…" Julia practically whispered. "I'm not going to turn into one of those…things am I? You're absolutely sure?"

Jamie gave Julia a weary, half smile. "Don't worry Julia, to turn into a vamp, they have to drain you completely, then have you suck on their blood. You'll be fine."

"Thank you for your help…thank you so much." Julia murmured.

"So…after all those years, Master Baek was right…" Hwoarang mused, staring off into space as he sat in a cheap armchair in the corner of the room.

"What? Baek believed in vampires?" Xiaoyu asked in disbelief.

"You'd be surprised at how superstitious the underground can be. Master Baek used to tell me about vamps all the time…I just never believed it…I…I thought that they were just stories to scare me into being a good kid…but, after tonight…damn." Hwoarang said, nervously taking a drag from his cigarette.

Jamie moved to tie his hair back in a low ponytail, and winced in pain as his hand brushed over a large scratch just above his eyebrow. As a Nephilim, Jamie was supposed to live out his life in secret…he was to tell no one what he was…not even family members. Well, Jamie didn't just break that rule…he shattered it into a million pieces with a sledge hammer.

His older brother Justin knew that Jamie was the Nephilim, although Jamie censored his brother from some of the more…unsavory qualities of the calling…such as the fact that almost every Nephilim dies a gruesome death in battle, and that to be 21 and a Nephilim is considered to be "ancient". Justin viewed his younger brother more as a Spider-Man or some other super hero.

Jamie had a core group of friends back home who knew what he was…together, they were steeped in a never ending battle with the forces of darkness …all things considered, the people closest to him had taken the news exceptionally well…however, his friends in the tournament…they had gotten close to him, and nearly died. They all sat in the room silent, each with his or her own battle wound as testament.

Finally, Jamie broke the silence.

"I'm truly sorry everyone…I never…I never meant to put any of you in danger." He murmured.

He would never admit it, but his eyes started to mist with tears…Jamie lowered his head in shame, and started to pick at the immaculate, white carpet…the silence lasted for several seconds, until he noticed Hwoarang's boots under his line of vision.

"Get up." He said brusquely.

_Great! Good job making friends Jamie! I swear, next time I'll just stop bathing and become a pariah…at least then I won't put anyone in danger!_

Jamie slowly stood up and stared into the hard face of Hwoarang. He gave Jamie a menacing glare that could probably make the toughest of thugs piss their pants…Jamie felt too emotionally numb to care..

"Listen; stop this little pity party that you've hosted for yourself! You are who you are and you can't help that!" Hwoarang shouted, getting in Jamie's face. "You were called to do this! You didn't choose it, it chose you, and all that shit! Big deal! You did exactly what you've been told to do! If it wasn't for you then we'd all be dead!"

"Jamie…thank you so much! If you hadn't been there…then I would've become some blood sucking…leech!" Julia exclaimed.

"There wouldn't have been anyway for me to help…I would've been walking into a death trap…they probably would've killed us all if it wasn't for you! Jamie, we can't…we couldn't hate you!" Xiaoyu said as she embraced Jamie in a hug.

Julia got up and hugged Jamie as well…while Hwoarang gave Jamie a "guy hug"

"If you tell anyone about that I'll kill you!" Hwoarang added.

Everyone laughed for a little bit, before settling down.

"It's going to be hell tomorrow! I mean, everyone who saw those vampires… how're they gonna explain it?" Julia marveled.

"Rival gangs…on PCP most likely." Jamie stated matter-of-factly.

"But Jamie, those people. They saw what happened how could they lie like that?" Xiao asked.

"Whenever something unexplainable happens to ordinary people, they tend to rationalize it, that way they don't have to face one of the worst fears of all," Jamie began.

"The feeling of the unexplainable because they don't know what's going on." Hwoarang finished.

"So, where do we go from here?" Julia questioned.

"We go on with our lives." Jamie answered simply with a shrug of his shoulders.

"But, we've gotta tell someone!" Julia argued.

"And then what Julia? No one would believe us anyway." Xiaoyu said.

"Let's just keep this to ourselves alright?" Jamie added.

"Right, but I mean, our live's'll never be the same," Hwoarang began, then glanced up at Jamie. "Master Baek told me stories about you…well, your kind…I just remembered it while we were in the hospital. He…he spoke of powerful young men, guys who were extremely capable at handling creatures from the 'other world'…I thought that those stories were just meant to make me feel special…but…wow…I mean, here you are. A real live Nephilim." Hwoarang marveled.

The four friends decided to order some Chinese food, and as they ate, they continued to chat…until Jamie happened to glance over at the clock…it read 1:30 in the morning.

"Well you guys, I guess I'd better head out…I've got a fight tomorrow, and knowing Kazuya, he'll probably put me up against another behemoth with 'roid rage." Jamie said as he stretched.

"I'm kinda tired too…" Julia stated as she yawned.

"Oh my God! It's 1:30! Holy Crap!" Xiao gasped. "I'm gonna have so much trouble getting up!"

"Oh you guys are total losers! The night's just beginning!" Hwoarang stated sarcastically. "I'm low on cash, I'll see if anyone's stupid enough to play pool with me downstairs!"

Hwoarang said as he walked out with Jamie…but not before giving Julia a light kiss. The girl's wouldn't let Jamie leave without a hug, and he was more then happy to oblige. He smiled as he closed the door and walked back to his room…despite his injuries, Jamie felt good…he wasn't completely alone during this tournament…he had friends, good friends, who would be willing to help him.

Jamie swore that he would protect them, and everyone else in this tournament from Kazuya's grasp. He opened the door to his hotel room, to see Steve pulling his shirt on.

"Hey." Jamie stated simply as he walked in.

"Hey! Heard 'bout your li'l scuffle with Marduk today." Steve said as he pulled a wife beater over his head.

"Oh?" Jamie asked.

"Heard you kicked some serious ass! Not bad for your first fight. Anyway, a bunch o' the lads are downstairs playin' pool. Wanna come?" Steve asked.

Jamie was exhausted and politely declined, saying that he had a monster headache and he was just going to crash. Steve shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"Suit yerself mate, but one o' these days I'm gonna make you party with us whether you like it or not! Seriously, you're 18! When I was your age they couldn't keep me away from th' pubs if they tried! Every night, I'd go home piss ass drunk...those're some good times." Steve finished as he reminisced.

"I'll bet." Jamie said with a smirk.

"Anyways, if you feel any better why don't you come down?"

"I think I might actually do that Steve." Jamie replied.

Steve left shortly thereafter, Jamie stripped to his boxers and climbed into bed...before he realized that he stank. So, before going to bed Jamie clambered into the shower. He let the steady stream of wonderfully warm water pound onto his aching muscles until they felt comfortably numb. Twenty minutes later, with a towel wrapped around his waist, Jamie walked out of the bathroom...and immediatly felt the stinging shock of the icy cold he was trying to avoid!

The room felt a good 40 degrees colder. Shivering, Jamie found the source of the frigidity...an open window. He walked over to the window and shut it.

"I didn't open this...and Steve hasn't been here..." He murmured to himself.

Heart thudding inside his chest, Jamie was about to put some clothes on when he noticed something glinting in the moonlight. It was embedded in the wooden headboard of the bed. Jamie turned on the light, and found the wakazashi that he had lost last night...attached to the hilt was a piece of rice paper...with a Japanese character drawn in calligraphy on the paper.

Jamie's father was in the Navy, Jamie was born in Yokosuka Japan, he lived there for the first five years of his life...he knew rudimentary Japanease...and he knew what this word meant...

"Soon."

Author's note: Yeah I know, kinda cheesy…but I think that a chappie like this one needs to be presented…with that one outta the way, it's time for another fight…and you'll never guess who it's against!!!! Who sent Jamie the strange letter? I've got some interesting twists in store and believe me! You'll love 'em!!! At least I hope you will…anyway, I luv's me some reviews! So please ::puppy dog eyes:: review! Reviews are like potato chips…you can't eat just one…


	10. Chapter 9: And White Splits the Night

Author's Note: Hey! MoonTearz is back!!!! Once again, I'm servin' it up extra special for everyone! This chappie's a little short, and I apologize, but the beginning gives a bit more insight to Jamie…so enjoy!!! Oh, and before I forget, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! Oh, and no flames please…as I am delicate and fragile and this is my first fanfic)

There was a chill in the air…Jamie Parker shivered, the cold seeping through his baggy, black, "Element" hoodie. The wind rippled through his hair, causing blond tendrils to dance around his face…Jamie took his hair out its traditional low ponytail in an effort to keep warm. Valiant as this effort was, it proved to be ultimately futile.

Jamie stood atop the Mishima Zaibatsu building, shivering in the December cold, and waiting for his opponent…Lee Chaolan. The night sky was still, and pregnant with the promise of snow…Jamie only hoped he could get this fight over with quick, make a quick sweep around downtown Tokyo on patrol, then get home to take a hot shower. His fight for the day hadn't been scheduled until tonight, so after breakfast, he went upstairs, slept for another three hours, then trained in the gym downstairs.

After lunch, Jamie began to bust his brain trying to think of what Kazuya meant by soon…what could he be planning? And how soon was soon anyway? Jamie figured that he had to be ready for whatever Kazuya was planning, and in that sense the Nephalim began to take extra precautions. He never went anywhere without being armed with his wakazashi, several cruets of holy water, and a small, wooden crucifix. As much as he hated to admit it…holy relics worked wonders against demons.

Prior to his calling, Jamie had never believed in God. After all, where was God when his parents were killed in an armed robbery? And where was God when Justin (before his skating gig) barely made ends meat to take care of his then nine year old brother? True, those dark days didn't last very long, because by the time Justin was 20, and Jamie was 10, Justin got "discovered", and since has become a world renowned skating superstar…but after Jamie was chosen, he had realized that God must exist…

After all, Jamie was, a product of God's creation, an obscure biblical reference come to life, but that didn't mean that Jamie was on good terms with "the creator". Now that Jamie knew that God existed, he settled on believing that God was an uncaring deity.

Jamie was never at odds with any of the "God squad" when he was in high school. If that's how they wanted to live their life then fine, that was their choice…but he couldn't stand it whenever they would try to aggressively "save him".

Pondering these aspects of his life did little to kill time, or alleviate the cold. Sniffling, Jamie fumbled in the pocket of his green, baggy cargo pants for his cell phone…and felt somewhat dismayed when he found that there were no messages. Hwoarang won his fight with a faceless newbie, and had offered to check the streets for any information on Kazuya's plans, or a weakness…something useful to aid Jamie in his quest.

The Tokyo skyline was breathtaking at night, the glittering city was splayed out like diamonds strewn across a blanket…had it not been so cold, Jamie would have taken time to enjoy the view, and snapped some pictures with his camera (believe it or not, Jamie did have hobbies before becoming the Nephilim). Sighing, Jamie checked his cheap, blue Simpson watch…it read 8:30 at night...Jamie was seriously considering leaving…already, Lee was fifteen minutes late…where was he? Wasn't there some rule that stated that if a competitor was late, they would automatically lose by default?

"Screw this." Jamie murmured.

Before he could leave however, he heard the rumblings of a helicopter…he glanced up, and immediately shielded his eyes from the chopper's blaring lights…a camera crew was inside. Jamie heard footsteps approach, and saw someone stroll forward in a confident manner. His hair was parted down the middle in some weird, non-bowl cut. The strange thing about it was the fact that it was white! About as white as the driven snow! But he wasn't old…well, not old enough to have white hair…he looked to be in his early forties, late thirties.

Despite the cold, he wore a loose fitting, blue, peasant shirt…it was somewhat open, exposing his chest, and a pair of skin tight, black leather pants…the man walked up to Jamie and smirked confidently.

"Are you James?"

"Yeah, I'm Jamie," He answered putting emphasis on his name…he hated James, it sounded like he was a snobby polo player or something. "Are you Lee?"

"Yes, that's my name." He said in a calm, melodious voice. "I apologize for my tardiness…there were some things at home that needed my attention."

"S'okay." Jamie replied evenly, ready to get the fight done and over with…after all, he wanted to get home, and out of this cold.

"And if you don't mind, I would like to get back to those things so if we could hurry this along…" Lee stated, dropping into his fighting stance.

Jamie was rather annoyed with Lee's flippant comments. "No prob man, I understand. I'm cold, and hungry. I'll knock your ass on this concrete fast, and we'll call it a night."

"Hmph…we shall see." Lee said.

"I guess we shall." Jamie replied, dropping into his fighter stance.

The tournament official counted down, and the fight began…

Lee immediately flew at Jamie with a jumping side kick…he was fast, and even though Jamie blocked the attack, the blow knocked him over. Annoyed, Jamie swung his legs around him, and spun on his back…this move got him off the ground fast, and kept Lee away from his swinging legs.

"Are you quite done show boating?" Lee asked.

"Show boating? Who uses that word anymore?" Jamie asked as he ran at Lee.

Jamie executed a left jab, followed by an immediate right hook…both made contact with Lee's face…quickly, he pivoted, and back handed Lee with right hand. The blow knocked Lee into a statue…and the silver haired man fell. The countdown began, and Lee had lost the fight! He angrily leapt up, and brushed his hair out of his face.

"I was just getting warmed up!" Lee finished.

"Yeah. Okay. Whatever." Jamie snorted.

Round two began quickly, and Jamie ran towards Lee…but was stopped dead in his tracks by his opponent's devastating front snap kick…Jamie, who could normally handle an attack like that, was stopped dead in his tracks, as the blow connected with his face. Jamie let out a yelp of pain, as he involuntarily clutched his stinging nose.

Wasting no time, Lee immediately unleashed a crushing axe kick, making Jamie fall face first through the glass section of the roof, and into a fountain. Glass stung Jamie's face, but as he lay in the water, the cuts healed…sometimes, it felt good to be the Nephalim.

_Okay, I've so totally lost this round…I'd better step it up…what is with that guy? He seems so…strange…his attacks are way to fluid and coordinated…_

Jamie leapt out of the knee deep water…only to find Lee staring down at him from the broken ceiling.

"Nice night for a dip?" He asked in a patronizing tone.

"Yeah, it's kinda nice. Can't persuade you to jump down here? Y'know, roll around on some glass shards while you're at it?" Jamie asked with an award winning smile, and the finger prominently displayed in Lee's face.

"Sorry, while I do have a thing for blonds you're just a little…dirty." Lee said with an air of importance in his voice.

Before Jamie could reply, the tournament official explained that the fight would continue in the hall where Jamie fell. Five minutes later, Lee emerged from the elevator…and the two began their fight. Lee unleashed a flurry of kicks, and while Jamie blocked most of them, some of them did hit him…although none were as devastating as the front snap kick. Jamie managed to pull off a reverse hook kick, roundhouse combo, which left Lee shaken.

In desperation, Lee tried to pull the snap kick off again but this time Jamie was ready. He grabbed Lee's leg, and flung him against the wall…into the shards of glass. Lee struggled to get up, but fell back down.

"I don't handle rejection very well." Jamie retorted as Lee slowly got up. "I mean, if I actually dated people with a penis…but I'm sorry, I don't find boys attractive as I am one."

"Congratulations on your victory." Lee murmured, shaking Jamie's hand.

Jamie felt something hard in his closed palm…it felt like a folded note. Lee glanced at Jamie as the elevator doors closed. Jamie opted to wait for the next elevator…or that was his excuse so he could read Lee's note. Quickly, Jamie made sure no one was around, and then he unfolded the note;

"I know what you are, and that you plan to stop the Devil Gene within Kazuya's body. I have valuable information pertaining to "Devil's" strengths and weaknesses. I've researched the gene inside my brother for a number of years and I believe I've concocted an anti-serum for it…however I lack the necessary man power to give it to him…maybe we can work out some sort of deal? Meet me at my house in an hour."

Directions were written on the back of the note. Jamie read, and re read the note about five times…he wasn't stupid, something shady was going on…but he at least owed it to himself to check it out. Jamie didn't trust Lee in the slightest…and if it was a trap, maybe he could still get some valuable information out of the white haired man…after all, Jamie had just fought Lee, and he wasn't too incredibly hard to beat. If he tried anything funny Jamie would be ready.

And so, the Nephilim called the elevator, and took the limo back to his room to change…after all, he had to meet Lee in an hour…and it was best not to keep him waiting.

Author's Note: A little short I know! But I'm just warming up for the main course! I've found that I get inspired in like, 3 chapter spurts, and this is the beginning of the latest "spurt" lol…anyway, PLLLLEEEEEEEEZZZZZZEEEEE REEEEEVVVVIIIIIIIIEEEEEWWWWWW!!!!!

I LUVS ME SOME REVIEWS!!!!

Well, I can't wait to give you guys the latest chapter, but it's like incredibly late here, so I'm gonna hit the hay, but please review and let me know what you think! I'd really appreciate it, and they take like, two seconds to write, and they let me know what you like!!!


	11. Chapter 10: Ominous Engagements

Author's Note: Hooray!!! I have finally filled a page of reviews!! I now have two pages worth of wonderful reviews ::claps and does Xandir from Drawn Together squeal:: Even though I have had one of my wildest fantasies fulfilled, PPLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAZZZZZEEEEEEE KEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP REEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEWWWWWIIIINNNNGGGGG!!  
If you lost patience trying to read the above statement I'm simply asking for more reviews so that they can feed the committee inside my head that pumps these chappies out fresh from the oven!!! (Sorry…I've been into the coffee again)

"Hm…rapid healing, check. Super endurance, check . The strength of about five able bodied men, and supernatural speed double check…But you're missing one big check my friend," Hwoarang began.

"Don't say it." Jamie warned as he pulled a shirt out from his suitcase.

"You're missing common sense, and with all due respect Jamie, that's a pretty big check." Hwoarang finished.

"Y'know Jamie…I've gotta agree with Hwoarang on this one." Ling stated.

She sat on Steve's unoccupied bed in a pair of p.j. bottoms and a spaghetti strap top.

"Yeah…I know you're new to this tournament Jamie, so let me fill you in on some common knowledge; Lee isn't someone who's trusted…he…he keeps to himself mostly, in fact, the only reason he participated in the 4th tournament was just to gather test data for his creepy robot thing." Julia pointed out.

"Combot? Xiao, didn't you trash that thing?" Hwoarang asked.

Xiao looked up. "Yeah…but it was a difficult opponent, it knew almost every fighting style in the world…it had malfunctioned in the middle of my fight with it…it was bent on killing me I'm sure of it." She shuddered, remembering the battle. "Jamie, anything that has to do with Lee should be left alone...I know you're the Nephilim, and you have super powers…but you're going to his turf…his mansion…which by the way, has 83 rooms…he's got something planned for you and…"

Jamie didn't let Xiao finish before he interrupted. "Listen you guys, I know that I'm probably walking into a trap…believe me, I'm not stupid…but I'll be fine. Besides, if it is a trap, then Lee's probably planning something that'd bite me in the ass later if I don't take care of it now. And," Jamie knelt under his bed and pulled out a small, beautifully lacquered Japanese box. "The Shinto priests in Tokyo've hooked me up."

Jamie opened the box, and placed the several bottles of holy water, a small, wooden crucifix, and two throwing stars into the pockets of his exceedingly baggy, green cargo pants. Satisfied, Jamie carefully placed the now empty box back under his bed.

"Don't worry…I'm all tricked out with my Nephilim skills and a holy hell of an arsenal…I'll be okay…Besides, Lee must know something about Kazuya…some kind of weakness, and before this night is over I'm going to get that information…even if I have to beat it out of him." Jamie stated as he put his denim jacket on.

As he walked out the door, Hwoarang stopped him.

"Jamie…look man, you're a great fighter against y'know, fiends from hell and stuff…but Lee doesn't use any of that occult shit…he's into science…robotics and things like that. It's not that I doubt your abilities, but please…wait another night. My contacts'll come through! Trust me!"

"I can't wait you guys…he's planning something, and if I don't stop it now…well," Jamie trailed off. "Look, I'll be back soon. I'm not really worried, and you guys shouldn't be either." He finished by shutting the door behind him, leaving his newfound friends silent…and expressionless with worry.

No car could take Jamie where he needed to go fast enough…he would have to take another way.

The Nephilim way.

Jamie ran across the rooftops, lungs pumping the crisp, cool December air throughout the Nephilim's body…this was his favorite way to travel, he loved it! He truly felt as if he was flying…or at least gliding at an accelerated rate. Either way, it provided a rush that nothing else could ever hope to mirror. He timed his jumps perfectly, hopping across the tops of buildings without making a sound…much like the freshly falling snow that had just begun to take place.

As he ran, Jamie noticed a hulking mansion slowly assimilate itself into his vision. The lights were on, and the looming structure gazed at him like a watchful parent.

_Okay…I don't see any other humong-o mansions around here, so I'm gonna assume that this is the right place."_

He paused at the final building, and looked for a way to climb down. He found it in the form of an old drain pipe. The mansion was several more miles away, but without anymore rooftops to leap to; Jamie would have to deal with the rest on foot. If Jamie pumped out full Nephalim speed, it would probably take him another fifteen minutes to get to the mansion…and he'd be right on time!

_Aren't I sad…right on time for my own execution…or so Lee thinks…whatever!All I've gotta say is that this white haired weirdo better have his life insurance paid up after I'm through with him!_

Silently, Jamie dropped to the ground…then sprinted towards the mansion…confident in the outcome leaning in his favor…little did he know that he would be sorely mistaken…and he would soon be faced with not only his, but every Nephilim's worst nightmare.

He followed Jamie at a slow pace…unable to keep up, after all, even he had limitations…but still, he could sense the Nephilim's presence. Having spent a good two years with Jamie's predecessor in Brisbane, his already sensitive personality could pick up Nephilim auras…Jin Kazama eventually caught up to the latest Chosen Warrior, running towards his uncle Lee Chaolon's house…and straight towards a nasty demise.

Jin stopped, and watched Jamie run…this American Nephilim seemed so different from the last one…so light hearted, and sarcastic about his calling…still, the world needed Jamie, and, Jin was counting on this yellow haired warrior to protect those he loved...

_Ling…_

With resolve, Jin clutched his fist angrily as he remembered the image of his fallen, Australian friend…Mark...

_I told you to leave Tokyo and you ignored my warning. I should just let you die for your stupidity…but I promised Mark…I promised that I would watch over you.... Become a defenderfor those that Defend Humanity…Mark…you're dying request shall be fulfilled!_

Jin drew a ragged breath, and doggedly followed the Nephilim…praying that he wouldn't be to late…

Author's Note: Okay, the plot thicken!!! MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

::…cough cough:: anyway, who's Mark? And how did Jin know him? What's going on with Lee?! What is a Nephilim's worst nightmare?! Well, I'll update soon, and you can find out! Oh, and pllleeeeezzzzeeeee review!!!! I luvs me some reviews!!!! There like pixie stick sugar for writers!!!!


	12. Chapter 11: Helpless

Author's Note: What up everyone? Moontearz is here once again with another chappie in the saga of Jamie and the Tekken crew! Oh, by the way, this chapter gets kinda graphic at one point…not in a bad way or anything…but don't worry, I know you guys can totally handle it! Believe me it's not gratuitous! In this "edition" Jamie comes face to face with a Nephilim's worst nightmare…but what is that exactly? Read, Review, and find out! Oh, but not in that order )

Lee Chaolon was Kazuya Mishima's adopted brother. He was a genius when it came to the fields of genetics and robotics. His life's work, (his opus if you will) was a robotic soldier named Combot. Making its debut in the 4th King of Iron Fist Tournament, Combot had severe malfunctions due to hasty production, and turned homicidal against Ling Xiaoyu. During the infamous match, Xiaoyu had managed to trash the machine, and the idea for mass production of Combots was apparently scrapped by a furious Lee.

That was what they said.

They were wrong.

Jamie Parker had been in Lee's house for over a half an hour now, and so far, Lee hadn't tried anything…in fact, he played quite a good host, taking Jamie on a tour of his expansive mansion, and handing the Nephilim a glass of soda…Lee himself had a glass of red wine.

"So, you're the latest Nephilim?" Lee asked pleasantly, as if being the Nephilim was something one was employed to do, rather then be chosen for.

_God, define secret identity for me again?!_

"Um…" Jamie stalled for time by taking a drink of his orange soda.

Lee gave Jamie a smirk, and touched the Nephilim's shoulder in a way that made Jamie slightly uncomfortable. "It's alright Jamie. I know what you are…and I know of your kind."

"Then I guess I don't have to answer." Jamie said lightly taking another sip.

"Well, if it's any consolation," Lee began, turning his back to Jamie. "You're much cuter then the last one."

"Um…thanks, I guess…" Jamie murmured.

Honestly, Jamie was a very open minded person. Back in high school, he had used his Nephilim powers to protect the gay kids, the goths, and the other kids who just didn't quite fit in…which was much like Jamie prior to his Nephalim calling. Jamie actually had a few gay friends…but these friends knew which lines not to cross, and if they did by accident, they would apologize and stop…but Lee was aggressively flirting…and it was somewhat creepy.

"He was somewhat of a short young man. He had incredibly thick, unkempt black hair. You know, Retro 1970's shag? But before that hairstyle made it's come back. He was built like a football player. He kept to himself mostly." Lee continued, swirling the red liquid lightly in his glass.

"Wait? You knew him?" Jamie asked in disbelief.

"Briefly, but then again, you can talk to any of the competitors who have been in the 3rd tournament. Everyone knew of him…but not much about him."

"I know he died trying to stop Ogre, but it killed him…leaving Jin to stop it." Jamie added.

As they spoke they began to walk towards Lee's library. It was a breathtaking room, remarkably spacious, yet cozy. Several dusty, comfortable wing chairs were strategically placed around the room. The walls were filled with thick, dusty volumes. Jamie checked the book spines and found that they mostly dealt with anatomy, physiology, robotics, chemistry and the like.

"Once again, I can't tell you much about him, I never fought Patrick. If you want to know more about him, then perhaps you should speak with Paul Phoenix."

"Paul?" Jamie asked in disbelief.

"Yes, that boorish oaf had officially won the third tournament…but left before Ogre had been resurrected…in fact, he was the one who ended Patrick's run in the tournament. Patrick had only stayed around to stop Ogre…it's too bad too…" Lee trailed off.

"How so?" Jamie asked, leaning in his chair towards Lee.

"Well, a Nephilim is known to be one of the best martial artists in the world. Patrick would have been a perfect subject to test my Combot on…or you." Lee finished with a smirk.

Spider Man had his "spidey-sense" whenever danger was approaching…Jamie had a "Nephilim-sense"…and right now, it was tingling…still, he decided to play dumb.

"But Ling destroyed it, and it was a menace anyway."

"Very true." Lee said with a sigh, staring into the flames of the fireplace.

Jamie downed the last of his soda…but began to feel odd. His normally sharp, eyesight began to dull slightly. He began to feel dizzy, and his muscles start to cramp all at once.

"Um…can I use your bathroom?" Jamie managed to sputter.

Lee directed Jamie where to go, and as Jamie left the library and half walked, half stumbled to the bathroom he thought he saw Lee give his trademark cruel smirk…as if all was going according to plan.

Jamie fell into the bathroom and crawled towards the toilet. The room was on the spin cycle from hell, and he felt like he was on fire inside. His muscles had cramped up on him, before turning completely numb.

_Oh shit I think I've been poisoned…_

He panicked as he reached the toilet and forced himself to vomit, hoping to get it out of his system before it was too late. He sat there for several minutes, heaving in the toilet…but much to his dismay found that it was all completely useless. The act of heaving his guts out made him waste his precious energy…and he slowly sank to the floor and began to convulse.

…_What's happening…_

Jamie thought, as the spasms rocked his body…they went on for another five minutes…but then…they stopped.

In fact, everything stopped.

The symptoms were gone almost as quickly as they had come. Slowly Jamie sat up from the bathroom floor and looked around. The room seemed much duller to him, and somewhat blurry. Jamie rubbed his eyes, but that didn't help.

_Okay, this is a little creepy…I need to get out now!_

Jamie meant to do a "kick up" to get back on his feet. He used this tactic during fights when he was knocked to the ground. Essentially, you place your hands behind your head, fling your legs back, and spring up from your hands…Jamie tried, but fell flat on his back on the cold, hard tile…his head hit with a resounding smack, and he was amazed at the fact that it actually hurt!

"Alright…something is wrong here…my timing…my coordination…I just need to get home and…"

"Jamie! Are you alright?" Lee's voice called from behind the door.

"Uh…yeah! I'm fine!" Jamie called as he slowly stood up, thoroughly shaken at the recent turn of events.

"Really?" Lee called.

"Yeah…gimme a minute!" He replied.

Something was wrong, and Jamie knew that Lee had something to do with it. Frantically, Jamie looked around the bathroom for any kind of escape route. He found it in a window across the room. Jamie quickly ran to it, but found it felt like running through sand…everything still seemed blurry and out of focus…what was going on?

Jamie made it to the window and lightly punched it, expecting it to break into a million pieces…but when he punched the glass the first time, it didn't even crack the glass. In desperation, Jamie flung all his strength into his fist, and this time, he broke the window.

He screamed in agony at his cut hand, he never remembered wounds such as these hurting this bad…the wound didn't heal either…Jamie stared intently at his bloodied hand, wincing in agony.

_Heal dammit heal!_

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lee's voice again.

"Yes!" Jamie lied.

Suddenly, the door burst off its hinges and flung Jamie against the far wall. Fireworks of pain exploded behind Jamie's eyelids as his head connected with the wall. Lee grinned at him…exposing his unnaturally sharp, elongated fang teeth…

"Then I guess we'll just have to fix that won't we?"

Jamie attempted to push the door off of him, but found that he couldn't…it was as if his strength was…

_Oh god! My powers!!! I don't have my powers anymore!!_

Lee slowly walked towards Jamie…and he could only stare, wide eyed in fear…

Helpless…

Author's Note: DUN DUN DUN!!!!! The dramatic cliffhanger! Anyway, read and review, you know the drill. I'm not gonna be mean, and like, not update if you don't review but plllleeeeeeaaaasssssseeeeeee doooooooo rrrrreeeeeeeeevvvviiiiiieeeeeeeewwwww!!!

::Makes Puss in Boots from Shrek 2 face::

Your reviews can be my Christmas present )


	13. Chapter 12: Unholy Madness

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Thanks a bunch for reviewing my story! Wow, I can't believe that people like it a lot! Seriously, this is my first fanfic! Anyway, I'm sorry it took me so long to update…I'm on x-mas break, and I had to drive to my parent's house (I'm a freshman in college) in Texas…I go to college in Tennessee, so it was like, a two day drive…but I'm here now, and ready to give you another chappie!!!! Oh, and special thanks to everyone who took the time to review please keep at it!

Lee's domineering form loomed over a wide eyed Jamie who struggled to get the broken door off of him…the door was a heavy oak one, and while, with his Nephilim powers Jamie could quickly brush it off…as a regular human being, Jamie found it next to impossible. Still, he had to try.

His powers were gone, as of right now; he was just plain, ordinary, Jamie Parker…with the strength of an average eighteen year old…but he couldn't dwell on it now…for he had no time! Slowly, groaning and sweating, Jamie managed to pull himself out from under the door…which slammed to the ground, making a deafening noise as it hit the tile.

Catching his breath, Jamie fumbled in his pocket and pulled out one of his throwing stars as Lee began to advance on him. The star felt somewhat heavy, and awkward in his hand, and this worried Jamie…normally, these weapons felt paper thin, and he could throw them quickly, efficiently, and with deadly accuracy.

That was then, this was now.

Jamie threw the star, hoping to hit Lee's face…instead it sailed right past him, and into the darkness of the hallway beyond. Lee laughed, and in an instant, lunged at Jamie…locking him in his deadly embrace. Jamie struggled and fought, but to no avail.

"This time, I REALLY get to taste you!" Lee murmured, voice dripping with a mixture of malice and lust.

In desperation, Jamie continued to struggle with the vampire…until realizing that that tactic would not prove as effective. He felt Lee's fetid breath on his neck, and his ivory fangs graze his neck…then, at the last second, Jamie pulled out a wooden crucifix. Lee hissed in fury and let Jamie go, as he held the cross in his outstretched hand.

In an effort to avoid the holy relic, Lee moved into the bathroom, leaving Jamie to stand in the hall. Not wasting any time, Jamie dashed down the halls, turning this way and that, his breath pounding through his lungs.

Jamie hadn't been "normal" in two years…he had to get used to his body again, and realize that it had severe limitations, and wasn't built to take a lot of damage as it had been when he was Chosen. He was sprinting down the halls now, and for a normal person, was running rather fast…but to Jamie, he felt like he was running through Jell-o.

Lee was hot on Jamie's heels, and Jamie knew that eventually, he was going to catch him. The white haired suddenly lashed his hands out, and slammed Jamie against a wall, stunning him. The wall rattled noisily as several fragile objects shattered when they hit the floor.

"Uh oh…this doesn't look good for our hero." Lee whispered he closed the gap between himself and the shaken Jamie.

Jamie began to step back, but Lee was on him in a blur. Quickly, Lee backhanded Jamie down a flight of stairs, each step more agonizing then the last. After what seemed like an eternity, he landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

"….Auuuugggghhhhh…." Jamie groaned.

It was so tempting for him to give up then…the edges of his mind were hazy with fatigue…Jamie didn't even want to think how many of his brain cells were innocently slaughtered. However, rapid healing or not, Jamie knew that he had to press on. Millions were counting on him, and besides, he refused to die this way!

He struggled towards Lee's library, which was to the immediate left of the staircase. He limped pitifully towards the room, Lee's laughter a driving force to keep Jamie going. He had to hurry; Lee would get tired of gloating soon, and attack him.

There had to be some way to stop Lee, some way…without strength, Jamie would have to combat him with his mind…as Jamie glanced frantically around the room for a weapon, his eyes fell on Lee's half empty glass of wine, still sitting on the table….and slowly, the wheels in his head began to turn… Jamie had to act fast, and he prayed that it his idea would work…it had too! Or else there'd be a new Nephilim in town.

Several seconds later, Lee thundered down the stairs. Jamie turned abruptly, standing next to Lee's wine glass…the act was finished…he could only hope that Lee would fall for it.

"Look at you. Battered, bruised, broken, and terrified," Lee said, as he sauntered towards the crouching Jamie. "I love it!" Lee chuckled.

He back handed Jamie again, and it launched the Nephilim into one of the bookcases.

"I've finally done something my brother could not! I've killed a Nephilim! And it didn't take any spells, potions, or demon hordes to do it! Just science: a combination of muscle relaxants, and tranquilizers to gentle you down." Lee said as he reached for his wine glass. "Now, you're just like everybody else. Isn't it just what you wanted?"

Lee lifted his wine glass. "To the glorious life and the painful death of a proud warrior! Jamie, I drink to you!"

Lee downed the wine, and then set his drink on the coffee table.

"I may take pity on you, I might turn you…" Lee stopped, and clutched his stomach in pain. "What?! What's going on?" He asked through fits of gagging.

Steam began to emanate from Lee's stomach. Never breaking his gaze, Jamie wordlessly reached into his pocket, and pulled out a bottle of holy water…the bottle was empty. Lee's eyes widened with fear and his face contorted in pure agony…as his blood began to boil and his insides started to melt.

"If I was at full Nephilim power, I'd be punning right now." Jamie said in a low, monotone voice.

Indigo flames shot from Lee's eyes and mouth as he began to burn…his screams echoing in the spacious mansion. Ironically, the flames were purified, and would only burn unholy things…it wasn't uncommon for vampires to leave objects behind...which was what had happened to Lee.

As quiet as a ghost, Jamie walked over to the ashes of Lee's body, and gingerly picked up the tiny, blue, computer disk.

_This might be useful, I'd better…_

Jamie didn't finish, battered, and bruised, he finally succumbed to his many wounds, and collapsed to the ground…


	14. Chapter 13: Guardian Angel

Author's Note: Hey, not that I'm complaining (cuz I luvs my reviews) but I've been getting the strangest reviews lately…sure I'm flattered that so many people think I'm hot and stuff, but…oh well. Here's the new chappie, read and review por favor!!!!! PLLLLEEEEAAAZZZEEEEEEE!!!!!!

_I hope that I'm not to late…mother, please…_

Jin Kazama silently pleaded. He ran through the wooded area that surrounded Lee's compound as fast as he could, hopping over small branches and rocks that attempted to trip him up. Originally, Jin's plan was to keep at a distance, and see if the Nephilim could handle himself…if he couldn't, then Jin would have stepped in. All was quiet for the first hour or so…until Jin saw Jamie running down an upstairs hall towards the stairs…running away from his uncle.

Jin could see the fear in the Nephilim's usual cool, confident attitude.

He was terrified.

Unfortunately, Jin didn't mourn the "death" of his uncle…he knew that when someone was turned into a vampire, it wasn't really them. A demon takes over the victim's bodies, and the real soul leaves the body…and he was never really that close with Lee anyway.

Still…something was wrong with Jamie; he wouldn't fight back, and did not dodge the blatantly obvious back hand that Lee gave him. When Jin saw Jamie struggle across the floor after his fall from the stairs, he decided that it was time for him to intervene…so, here he was, running as fast as his legs could carry him towards the house, ready to save the Nephilim…ready to fulfill the promise he had made to his deceased friend Mark.

_A Nephilim's no good to anyone dead! Even though another one is activated as soon as the previous one dies, it may take months to find, and properly train him…the Nephilim line does not discriminate who it chooses, so one must literally travel the world to search for him…_

Mark's words echoed through Jin's mind as he kicked down the door to the house…the place was in shambles…it literally looked as if World War III had erupted in his Uncle Lee's foyer. The elegant carpet on the stairs was rumpled, and lying in a pile on the floor…and Jin noticed several drops of fresh blood on the pristine, white tile.

_This looks bad…_

Slowly, Jin walked cautiously over the broken glass into the library…nothing could prepare him for what he was about to find, and even he, steel hearted, stone faced Jin Kazama managed to gasp in shock. The library was trashed…a bookshelf was shattered to pieces, spilling a kaleidoscope of colorful books onto the floor. A shattered wine glass lay in a corner…on top of black ashes…Jin knew of vampires, and knew what happened to them when they were killed…

Lying in the center of the room was Jamie. He lay on his stomach with his arms and legs sprawled out. His hair was a tangled mess, and his left hand was a mass of dried blood…bits of glass stuck out from it…the wound looked awful, and Jamie's hand held the appearance of raw hamburger meat.

_Am I too late?_

Jin cautiously stepped forward and examined Jamie's body. Gingerly, he rolled the Nephilim over. His face was a complicated mass of cuts and bruises, as he moved him, Jamie groaned lightly.

"You're alive…you are much more resilient then I thought." Jin murmured.

Jamie was still unconscious, and didn't look like he would wake up anytime soon. Gently, Jin lifted Jamie in his strong arms, and carried him out of the mansion, and into the darkness of the night…

Footsteps…Jamie could hear them…loud…pounding…echoing through the night. He heard crunching leaves and someone breathing…hard and ragged…panting, as if out of breath. As Jamie began to slowly awaken; his senses started to come back to him.

Primarily pain.

His throbbing body screamed at him that he had pushed himself to the limits. His head felt like it was caught in the merciless grip of an iron vice, and the rest of his person felt thick with bruises. It was by some miracle that he was still alive and he would have to thank his lucky stars…

_Who came up with that phrase anyway?_

Jamie found himself wandering.

Suddenly, the moving stopped, and Jamie felt himself being set down. The ground felt rough…rough with foliage and cold with traces of snow. The cold felt somewhat soothing on his bruises…but it snapped him out of his trips in and out of consciousness.

"You're finally awake. Don't worry. You're powers will return within twelve hours…science can't totally dissipate a Nephilim's strength." A somewhat familiar voice said.

"Who are you?" Jamie murmured.

Slowly, Jamie's eyesight began to adjust to the darkness, and he began to become aware of his surroundings. He was in the woods…just outside of Tokyo. He had sprinted through these woods just over an hour ago on the way to Lee's mansion. Had it really only been an hour ago? It felt like an eternity.

Jamie's cobalt eyes glanced over at the form still in the shadows. The person walked forward, and into the pale moon's light. At first, Jamie could only focus on his face.

_No…Oh no…Kazuya…no…_

Jamie let out a gasp of terror and began to scoot backwards…after all, he was currently without his powers and badly wounded.

"Wait! I'm not him! I know I look like him but…" Jin trailed off, trying to find the right words. "I'm not." He murmured softly.

Jamie began to take the man's form in more closely, and realized that he was right. This man had somewhat wider, kinder eyes…a stark contrast to Kazuya's harsh, cold, narrow ones. This young man had his black hair slicked back, but his bangs had escaped from the gel, and leaving soft, wispy strands on his forehead…he also wore a hooded sweatshirt…a hooded sweatshirt with flames on it.

"Please, don't be scared. I'm here to protect you." He said as he began to walk forward.

"Protect me huh? You're the guy who blindsided me, with that punch to the side of my head, and the guy who told me to get out of Tokyo last night! Are you new at this job of protection? 'Cause you sure do suck!" Jamie retorted.

"None of your trademark American Sarcasm can help you now Nephilim! If it wasn't for me you'd be dead!"

In spite of the pain, Jamie managed to laugh. "What?! Thanks to you I got chucked off a roof!"

Jin lowered his eyes. "I'm truly sorry for that. You must understand that I want nothing to do with my father…"

The woods fell silent as Jamie's eyes widened in shock. Kazuya's son?! Then could this be…

"Jin Kazama?" Jamie whispered, almost reverently.

"_Hai_. I am Jin. Kazuya Mishima is my father."

"Then…if you don't want to help him, why did you hit me that night?" Jamie asked.

Jin was silent for a moment, and Jamie debated whether or not to ask him again, but before he could, Jin began to speak.

"I hated everything about my Mishima heritage…I still do…and I will never forgive them for the horrible things that they've done to me, my family, and the world. Heihachi, Lee, and at one time, Kazuya…I hated them…I hated them all. To me, looking in their faces was like looking into the face of pure evil. During the 3rd tournament…I had witnessed my grandfather's cruel nature first hand when he unleashed Ogre from his prison…I watched that monster kill a 16 year old boy while my grandfather looked on and laughed! After I killed Ogre, I went to Brisbane Australia…I wanted to be left alone. I just wanted to drop off the face of the Earth and be one of those people in the nameless abyss of humanity. While I was in Australia, I took a job as an instructor at an old dojo in my neighborhood…and that's where I met Mark." Jin sighed and closed his eyes.

"Mark?" Jamie asked.

"He was my age, and one of the head instructors of the school. He was half Aborigine, and incredibly tough…almost remarkably so. When we would spar, he would almost always beat me, and make it look so easy…even when I did hit him, his bruises would heal almost instantly. Anyway, he lived at the dojo with the sensei, and always acted really strange. He kept strange hours at night, sometimes leaving in the middle of classes. He would give the sensei a look, and then excuse himself…and he would always carry a several holy water vials, and a religious cross with him. One night, I followed him, and he…"

"Saved you huh?" Jamie interrupted, starting to get the picture.

Jin nodded. "Yes. From a vampire attack. That night, he told me everything…much like you told Ling, Hwoarang, and Julia. He explained that he was a Nephilim, a young man chosen to stand against the forces of darkness, and how when the previous Nephilim died, he had inherited the gift. I told him about Patrick (the participant in the third tournament) and about the Devil Gene in my body. The sensei at the school also knew what Mark was, and owned a collection of books on demonology. To make a long story short, Mark and the sensei helped me find ways to curb the Devil Gene through intense training and rituals, and I, in turn, helped Mark fight the forces of darkness. I learned that the gene, although not completely curable, can be suppressed…and I…I began to have hope for my father."

"So, that's why you stopped me…" Jamie mused.

"Yes. If I can just reach him…maybe I can help suppress the gene…he…he was different back before Devil took control…when my mother was around…" Jin managed to choke out.

"And Mark?" Jamie asked.

"We were supposed to enter the fourth tournament together…we were supposed to stop Heihachi together, but my grandfather intervened…he summoned a werewolf to take us both out. We killed it…but Mark was bit. He was going to become one of them…and rather then suffer that fate…he asked me to kill him…and I did…" Jin blurted, as if it was hard to say.

"I'm sorry." Jamie murmured. "And he asked you to protect the latest Nephilim right?"

"Yes. You." Jin stated simply.

"Me? You mean that…Mark was my predecessor?!" Jamie asked in disbelief.

In the Nephilim world, there was countless information that the Chosen One was not privy to. One of those facts happened to were that a Nephilim was not supposed to know anything about their predecessor…unless it was absolutely necessary. The Council felt that if the Nephilim knew how their forerunner had met their demise, they would lose faith in their abilities and become too timid to fight…thus, getting them killed.

The only things that Jamie knew about his forerunner was the fact that he was from Australia, and died on June 27th 2002…almost two months after Jamie's sixteenth birthday (May 8th 1986) and the day he was called.

As for the Kazuya situation Jin was right. People with the Devil Gene could be helped…but someone in Kazuya's circumstances, where the Devil had completely taken over…was essentially a lost cause. Eventually, the Devil, and the host's mind eventually merge, making the former occupant one with the demon…basically, Kazuya was a lost cause, was to be "taken care of" immediately.

Jamie was about to tell Jin just that when he began to feel dizzy…like the world was spinning…suddenly, a low static filled his ears, his face grew flush, and frigid at the same time. He began to vomit violently.

"Jamie. You're body is rejecting Lee's serum." Jin said happily.

This was the last thing he heard before abruptly passing out again.

Jin picked Jamie up again, and realized that the Nephilim couldn't be taken to the hospital. There would be too many questions asked, and to much attention drawn to the situation. Jamie's body was starting to discard Lee's serum, and this meant that his powers were returning.

By tomorrow he would be fine.

Jin decided that the best place for Jamie to be was his hotel room, so he carried Jamie to it. Digging through the Nephilim's pocket, he took out the keycard, and opened the door. He was going to put Jamie in his bed and leave…hoping that no one would see him…he was wrong. Jin opened Jamie's door, and unexpectedly saw three sets of eyes fixate immediately on the door.

"Jamie?!" Ling asked as she turned.

Then, everything went silent as Xiaoyu, Julia, and Hwoarang stared in disbelief at the silent, Jin, (whom they hadn't heard from or seen in two years), and the fallen Nephilim…

Author's Note: Phew! That was a long, and tough chappie to write! I'm trying to get better at emotional scenes and stuff. Sorry the last couple of chapter's haven't exactly been great…I've had a lot of stress with the holidays and exams. But that shouldn't stop you from reviewing! PPPLLLLEEEAAAAZZZZEEEEEE REEEVIIIIIEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Oh, and I checked my stats, and it says that I'm on the author alert, and the favorite thingie…neat-o torpedo!!! I hope everyone had some fun, happy holidays! New Years is coming so we'll all have to party like it's on sale for $19.99!!!!!!


	15. Chapter 14: Innovative Alliance

Author's Note: Okaaaayyyyy….lemme see…oh, when we last left our hero's, they were in the most awkward of awkward positions…don't really know where this chappie is going right now as I don't exactly have concrete outline of what should happen yet…so I'm just gonna write and let nature take it's course…and stuff. Anyway, thank you for the latest reviews! Please keep at it!!! 'Cuz reviews are what makes the world go 'round…(or at least my world )

"Jin?!" Xiaoyu asked in disbelief.

Her face paled and the world around her began to spin…here he was…Jin Kazama! The man she loved! He had returned! She had dreamed this would happen for the past two years…and here it was. Thrust upon her (literally).

She should have been happy, and she was…but at the same time, she felt a mixture of anger at Jin, and fear for Jamie. She hadn't heard from him in two years! He hadn't written, or called, or anything! She was worried sick about him all this time, and he just randomly decides to show up?! Xiao wanted to cry, hug, and hit Jin all at once…but for some reason, her body would not let her move…so she stood; mouth agape in shocked silence.

The two star crossed lovers stared at each other for several seconds…the room heavy with silence. Ling stared at Jamie's limp body held in Jin's outstretched arms. Jamie's face was a complicated map of cuts and bruises. His nose looked broken, his eyes were swollen shut, and his lip was split. Was he dead? Xiao wanted to ask, but was afraid too.

Fortunately for Xiao Hwoarang did it for her.

The crimson haired Korean stared at Jin with a smoldering gaze…his jaw was set firmly, and his fists were clenched so hard at his sides that they were shaking.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO KAZAMA!!!!" Hwoarang shouted.

He had yelled so loud that the walls in the small room began to rattle…Xiao covered her ears, and Julia stood straight up…Hwoarang's voice had startled her.

"Hwoarang! Shut up!" Xiao screamed back at him.

The act was so uncharacteristically like Xiaoyu that it managed to keep Hwoarang quiet.

"I didn't do anything to him…" Jin began in his signature, low voice.

"Is Jamie…" Julia interrupted.

"He'll live." Jin replied as he put the fallen warrior in his bed.

"And his wounds?" Ling asked.

"They'll heal by morning." Jin finished.

"Okay, that's all well and good and all, but that doesn't answer my question Kazama! What the fuck happened?!" Hwoarang said, voice raised slightly.

"Lee Chaolon was a vampire who trapped Jamie in his mansion. He had slipped a potent mix of muscle relaxants and tranquilizers into Jamie's drink causing him to lose his powers temporarily." Jin explained.

"And he survived it? How? First of all, it would take a lot of that stuff to make Jamie lose his powers…in fact, in the best case scenario, that stuff would have put Jamie in an anabolic coma." Julia stated with her arms crossed.

"A Nephilim has a unique physiology Julia…anyway; Lee tried to kill him and came close to it. But Jamie put holy water in his wine glass. Lee drank it and died." Jin finished.

"Wait, Jin? How do you know all of this? How long have you been here? And why didn't you tell me?" Xiao asked with her arms crossed.

She tried not to sound hurt, but she couldn't help herself. She told Jin everything about her, and when he left after the fourth tournament, she had been sad, but she knew that he would keep in contact with her.

That had not happened. During this time, Xiao began to torture herself with questions that she knew she didn't want answered...like: Has Jin met someone else? Or: Is he alright? Does he need help?

These questions had plagued her for the first few months…but she began to realize that she could not obsess over these questions any longer. Jin would return, and he had said that he had loved her…and given the situation…that was enough for her…well, at least it was enough until he would come back. He had told her that he would return…and here he was…back in her life…just like that.

"I came back because I heard that the Nephilim had come to Tokyo…I felt like I had to protect him-" Jin began.

Hwoarang snorted. "Protect huh? Helluva job you've done!" He gestured to Jamie's passed out, battered form on the bed.

"I had to keep a low profile. If Kazuya knew that I was here, then he'd go after those I love." Jin said, glancing at Xiaoyu.

"Look, I'm glad you're back Jin. But we've still got some questions that you haven't answered." Julia replied evenly.

As the best friend of someone who loved Jin, and the girlfriend of someone who despised him, Julia had decided long ago to remain neutral. She neither hated, nor loved Jin. They were "friendly acquaintances" and both were content to keep it at that.

Sighing, Jin explained his connection to the line of the Nephilim. How he had fought alongside Patrick, and befriended Patrick's successor Mark, and how he had promised Mark to watch over his successor as he lay dying.

"I couldn't make myself known to him…so I watched from a distance. I watched his progress with Lee, and went to help him when I felt that it was absolutely necessary."

"He's lucky he's not dead…he defiantly should be." Hwoarang muttered gently looking over Jamie's wounds. "I've seen things like this back in Seoul, death by bludgeon is never fun…I wouldn't wish this on anyone," He turned, and looked at Jin. "Except for you."

"Hwoarang…this isn't going to get us anywhere…" Xiao began.

"You say that you're here to protect Jamie right? Well, how could you sit back and watch him running for his life from Lee? Defenseless and helpless? I may be a badass, but I'm not heartless! God, I hope that Mark or whatever didn't put too much faith in you!"

That did it. Jin began to advance on Hwoarang. The two were held back by Julia and Xiaoyu.

"STOP THIS!" Ling screamed. "Look, we all know about Nephilim so we might as well band together and help Jamie stop Kazuya, these vampires, and whatever! In case you guys haven't realized it, this whole Tournament has a lot of unexplained phenomena happen behind the scenes! Everyone else maybe content to look the other way, but not me! I'm sick of it!" Xiao finished.

"Well, what do you think we should do?" Julia asked.

"We shouldn't leave Jamie alone. He killed Kazuya's brother, he might come back here…we should take turns watching him…at least until he heals. Jin and I will take the first watch. Hwoarang, Julia, you take second." Ling stated in an all business tone.

Everyone agreed to Ling's terms and began to keep their vigil over the sleeping Jamie…as he slowly…ever so slowly began to heal…

"Oh Steve…I don't think we should do this…" A woman's voice giggled.

"Ssshhh…relax kitten…" Steve murmured…accent working in overtime.

"But you're roommate! He's asleep, like several feet from us and…"

"Don't worry pet he's been dead to the world all morning…he's a heavy sleeper, he'll be fine…and besides, kids are very visual."

More lusty giggles could be heard, as well as heavy breathing, and sloppy kisses.

_I swear to God…it figures that I'd sleep through anything...BUT THIS!!!_

Jamie Parker had just woken up…his eyes were still closed, but he had managed to be brought back to consciousness. Ever since he was little, he had been a very heavy sleeper. Jamie had managed to sleep through hurricanes, uber thunderstorms, his uncle's heart attack when he was little…but for some reason, he managed to wake right when his roommate Steve decided to bring Christie back to the room.

Of course, Steve and Jamie had laid the traditional roommate ground rules (mostly Steve had made the rules since he had the superiority, and Jamie could live with just about any major vice). One of the cardinal rules was the fact that if a Hawaiian lei was placed on the door knob, then Steve was with a girl and not to be disturbed. Now, there was some kind of loophole in the rule that Jamie didn't particularly enjoy.

Another five minutes was spent by Jamie with eyes squeezed tightly shut, and head burrowed under the covers attempting to sleep…but, as luck would have it, his body refused to let him catch another forty winks. Jamie sat up, stretched, yawned, and pretended like he had just woken up, and was totally oblivious to the situation. This caused Christie to let out a small gasp, and leap into the bathroom with Nephilim speed! Steve quickly covered himself with the covers and glanced at Jamie nervously.

"Oi, so you've finally woken up then?" Steve asked with a fake grin plastered on his face.

"Yeah," Jamie said sleepily. "What time is it?"

"'Bout 11:30 or sumthin' breakfast is over, but I snagged ya a plate of eggs n' bacon…I left it in the microwave."

Jamie couldn't be mad at Steve, he rarely held grudges anyway, and this random act of kindness had immediately forgiven the cockney boxer. Jamie got out of bed and stretched some more. He was still wearing the rumpled clothes from last night. Jin must have put him in bed or something. Just then, Christie emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body.

"Oh, hi Jamie! I was just…"

Jamie smiled. "It's alright you guys. I know what happened, I woke up like five minutes ago."

Their faces turned bright red, like two kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"I'm really sorry Jamie I tried to stop him but-" Christie sputtered.

"No, it's okay. Don't worry about it. Next time though, just wake me up before you do anything. I'll sleep on the couch in the lobby."

"Hey, did you guys know that Jin Kazama officially signed up to enter the tournament last night?" Christie asked.

She was quite the wealth of information in this tournament.

"What?!" Jamie asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, I saw him and Xiaoyu last night at the Shinjuku. They looked like they were having a deep conversation or something. Anyway, they were out really late. I saw them on the way back from the club. Anyway, I said hi and stuff and he said that he had just signed on for the Tournament."

_Crap! Jin must've ran into Ling, Hwoarang, and Julia last night…that must've been fun…only if you like a lot of screaming and shouting and yelling…_

Jamie left, and walked down to the lobby. The fighters were allowed to have the weekend off, and today was Saturday. The lobby was bustling with the various fighters, each speaking in excited voices about their plans. Jamie found Julia sitting in the dining hall with a cup of coffee and her laptop. He immediately walked over to her.

"Julia?" He asked.

She glanced up, expectedly at first, then surprised that it was Jamie.

"Jamie?! You're awake, are you alright? How do you feel?"

"Oh y'know, slight limp, a couple of cracked ribs, another day at the office." Jamie stated as if discussing the weather.

"Well, you look 100 better then you did last night."

"I imagine I do…wait? You saw me last night?"

"We all did. Xiaoyu, Hwoarang and me. Jin dropped you off."

"Wonderful," Jamie said sarcastically. "I can only imagine how that went down."

"Explosively; Hwoarang got in a shouting match with Jin…y'know the usual, I'm surprised it didn't wake you up. Anyway, Xiao and Jin left after their shift and haven't been seen since. Hwoarang's taking a shower in his room, he told me to wait for him down here. We've all decided to get along and stuff to help you out."

"Well, I appreciate that…but I'm sorry I caused so much drama."

Julia took a sip of her coffee. "Don't worry about it. It'll work itself out, it always seems to."

"You mean to tell me that Hwoarang and Jin have decided to get along? I mean, I'm a newbie, but even I know that those two would rather endure a hydrocholonic then play nice and exist in the same room!"

Julia chuckled. "Yeah…you've got it. But Xiao can be very persuasive when she wants to be. Anyway, Hwoarang and I are going to see a movie…you wanna come?"

"Naw…thanks though. I'm going to pay a visit to Paul Phoenix."

"Why Paul?"

"Lee told me that Paul was the official winner of the third tournament. He had beaten the Nephilim Patrick. If I'm gonna take on Kazuya and his hordes of the undead then I can't have another mess up like last night…and the night before."

"Jamie, you haven't screwed up." Julia said.

"Listen, Kazuya nearly killed me, and Lee almost put me on the menu. I need to know what happened to Patrick. What were his faults? How did he lose his fight and ultimately his life?"

"Kinda morbid don't you think?" Julia asked.

"It is. But I don't know what else to do Julia."

"Well, if I can do anything let me know alright?"

"Actually, there is something that I was meaning to ask. Y'know, if it's not too much trouble." Jamie fished in his pocket and pulled out a computer disk…the same one that Lee had left behind.

Julia investigated it.

"Alright, I'll look into it for you."

"Thanks Julia…you don't have to do it now, but whenever you get the chance." Jamie said gratefully.

"Don't worry about it." Julia stated with a cheery smile. "Anyway, Paul's probably at a garage across town fixing his bike. He's always over there. You really can't miss it; it's across from Marshall Law's dojo."

"Thanks Jules…don't know what I'd do without you guys." Jamie said as he dashed off to his room to change…shower…and get some answers!

Author's Note: Alrighty! You know the drill please read and review. I LUV'S ME SOME REVIEWS!!!!!! Thanks for the nice reviews from some of the all stars! Chlover Goddess, Sapphire 17, Lord Nazgul, Element6, and HunterZ!!! Please keep it up!!! Thanx!!!!


	16. Chapter 15: Phoenix Rising

Author's Note: OMG!!!! I totally forgot that I had not thanked shadowsin for the reviews!!! I'm really sorry you …it was super late when I wrote that last chapter and got reeeeaaaalllllllyyyyy tiiiiirrrrreeeeeeeddddd…I'm so sorry, hope you can forgive me! ::Another blond moment from me:: Anyway, hope you like this new chappie! You know the drill; Read and review please! I appreciate everyone's support!!!!

Jamie Parker's main method of travel around Tokyo was by hopping across the rooftops. However, he only did this in the dead of night when he wouldn't be caught. Unfortunately, he couldn't pull this off in the middle of broad daylight with millions of people around him.

"Although I don't think it'll matter…I mean everyone and their mother knows what a Nephilim is anyway." Jamie thought pessimistically.

The weather around him seemed to match his mood. The sky was overcast and gray, with a thick, cold, encroaching fog…still, the roads were swamped with typical Tokyo traffic. A light, freezing drizzle fell lightly on the snow soaked pavement and caused Jamie to clutch his yellow snowboarding jacket more tightly around his chest.

Truthfully, Jamie didn't want to go see Paul. He wanted to go back to the hotel and workout, or curl up by the fireplace, or go see that movie with Hwoarang and Julia…but as usual, Nephilim duties interrupted and halted any types of plans that didn't involve decapitation and demon slaughter.

Jamie looked at the handwritten directions that Julia had given him, and then studied his surroundings carefully. Hwoarang had told him that Paul's typical haunts were in a rather run down, bad section of town.

Two words: Ghetto Land.

Not that Jamie cared. He had taken on demons, and averted apocalypse countless times…he figured that he could handle a few gang bangers or whatever the mortal world could throw at him. After another half an hour of searching, he found Marshall Law's dojo…and right across the street was a rather beat up looking garage.

Graffiti peppered the crumbling building…which looked like a vintage munitions factory left over from World War II. Several cars were elevated on platforms as the mechanics milled about the open garage bays performing various tasks.

Jamie's uncle Kurt owned a fix-it shop, so Jamie knew his way around one…but he was pretty worthless when it came to fixing cars. True, he could change the oil, pump gas, and put in a new stereo…but other then that, he was lost. Unlike other guys his age, he wasn't totally obsessed with them.

He entered the shop casually, it didn't matter what part of the world that you were in, all of these kinds of shops smelled, and looked the same. The main office's walls were made of some kind of cheap, clap board. It looked like it hadn't been decorated since 1975, and hadn't been cleaned since 1991.

Various, yellowed pictures in cheap frames adorned the walls, and the air was heavy with the combined odors of car wax, and motor oil. Jamie asked the man behind the counter where he could find Paul Phoenix, to which the man so eloquently said:

"Paul? Dat crazy sunofa bitch? He's in the third bay in the back."

"Thanks." Jamie replied as he walked off.

"Wait. He don't like bein' disturbed. Whaddya wanna see him for?" The men gave Jamie a critical once over. "You his kid or sumthin'?"

Jamie was rather caught of guard at that comment. Did he look like Paul? He didn't think he did, but he supposed that their hair color and style looked similar. Still, he knew that if he had any chance of speaking with Paul he realized that he'd have to play on the man's observation.

"Close," He smiled. "I'm his nephew."

The lie seemed to satisfy the man, as he let Jamie back with no complaints.

Paul Phoenix was one of the "O.G.'s" of The King of Iron Fist Tournament. He had been around since the first tournament, and had made regular appearances ever since. He had quite a fan base, which was made primarily of bikers, and middle aged soccer moms, who had been turned onto the tournament with his rugged good looks, and bad boy image. He was defiantly the stuff which housewife fantasies were made of.

Jamie opened the door to the Back Bay, and was accosted by the strident, earsplitting whine of various machines. In the center of the room was a beautiful Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Made up of black chrome and expertly polished silver…Jamie didn't want to even fathom how much it cost.

An old school boom box on a shelf blasted '80s metal throughout the room. Currently, Autograph's Turn Up The Radio was being played. Underneath the bike, Jamie saw a pair of "Diesel" brand jeans and black boots. Paul's hands worked expertly with his tools as he tuned his bike. This went on for another minute until Paul called to him:

"So, is there a reason that you're here?"

"What?" Jamie asked in a startled voice.

He was amazed that Paul could detect his presence in the midst of the chaos that was this repair shop.

"Look, I don't have all day, and you've obviously come a long way to get here so why don't we cut to the chase and you tell me what you want." Paul said as he scooted out from under his bike.

His hair was tied back in a low ponytail much like Jamie's own. Paul wore a black t-shirt with a flaming skull emblazoned on it. The shirt was stretched taught over his chest. Blonde stubble lined his chin…he had narrow green eyes under a pair of bushy blonde eyebrows. Paul casually walked over to a sink, and began to wash his oil stained hands.

"You're Paul right?" Jamie asked lamely, trying to conjure an air of confidence and get the upper hand in the dialogue.

"Uh…yeah. And you are?" He asked with a cruel smile.

"I'm Jamie. I'm in the King of Iron Fist Tournament too," Jamie began. "Anyway, you've-"

"Yeah, I've heard about you." Paul interrupted.

"I didn't know that I had a reputation." Jamie asked with a grin.

"You're the kid who laid the smack-down on Marduk, and then Lee."

_Yeah, in more ways than one…_

Jamie thought to himself on the topic of Lee.

"Anyway, you had a reason to be here right? Let's hear it."

"Right, well…um," Jamie sputtered, trying to think of how to find the right words. "In the 3rd tournament, there was this kid-"

"There were lots of kids. I swear it was like a friggin' baby-sitting service during that one." Paul said as he sauntered over to the refrigerator.

"Huh?" Jamie asked.

"All these kids entered that tournament."

"And you had a problem with that?"

"Well, for one, they all went to that damn Mishima high school, so that meant that us 'grown-ups' who weren't in school had to fight them around their school schedule. And you felt kind of bad for whalin' on a boy, or girl in a school uniform." He finished as he rooted around in the 'fridge.

"Well. There was this one guy who was…special…like-"

Paul cracked open a Budweiser, and tossed a can to Jamie. The Nephilim caught it. Jamie wasn't an alcoholic or anything, but he did enjoy a beer from time to time.

"You're talking about Patrick aren't you? Patrick Morton?" Paul asked.

"Horton," Jamie corrected. "And yeah, that's who I mean." He finished, taking a sip of his beer.

"Why would you want to know about him?" Paul asked taking a swig of his beverage.

Jamie wasn't stupid…Paul was goading him; trying to get him to admit to something…Jamie didn't have time to play stupid mind games so he planned on ending them.

"Look. I think you know what Patrick was. Unnaturally strong for someone his age? Healed fast? Super endurance? All the perks that comes to being a Nephilim?"

"So that's what they call it?" Paul chuckled.

"So you know?" Jamie asked evenly.

"Well, yeah. That kid lasted a lot longer then any of us thought he would. I mean, he tore through Nina, and she's a highly trained assassin. He took Lei down, and managed to save us all when some PCP addled freaks tried to take over the hotel."

_PCP huh…sounds more like vamps to me…_

"So, are you related to him or something? Doing the whole vengeful brother sorta thing? Cuz if that's the case I don't have the time, and you're beef's not with me." Paul said casually.

"Well…sort of…look Paul. When a Nephilim dies…their powers are passed on…kinda like down a line y'know? Patrick was called, he died fighting Ogre, then this other guy named Mark was chosen, he died…and now, me." Jamie finished.

"Wow…that's deep. That really is…but y'know what? Not my problem." Paul said flippantly.

"Then make it your problem!" Jamie practically shouted. "Look, Patrick died trying to save all of you. He had a mission to protect the innocent and fight the forces of darkness. Now, it's my mission!"

"Then why are you here none of that shit goes on in this tournament?"

"Really? Kazuya's demon friend Devil and his lovely posse of losers known as the Fang Gang…y'know, just to name a few." Jamie finished.

"So, why do you want to talk to me?" Paul asked with his arms crossed.

"I need information. You beat a Nephilim in the tournament…and no offense, but that's not an easy feat…humans beating Nephilim. I need to know how you did it." Jamie replied.

"Wait, what do you mean exactly?" Paul asked confused.

"Blow by blow, punch by punch, kick by kick. I need to know how you beat him." Jamie asked walking forward.

"That's insane! I don't remember that? That was like, four years ago!"

"Oh I think you remember Paul. You don't seem to be the type who'd forget a match like that. I may have not been there, but I'll bet that Patrick put up one helluva fight." Jamie said, playing on Paul's ego.

"He did…that was quite a brawl, I…" Paul mused. "Anyway, why would I tell you? That's like a magician giving away his secrets."

"Paul, if I have to fight you, I'm sure it won't matter. Isn't it a cardinal rule with fighters that you never use the same technique twice?"

Silence ensued for several seconds…or as much silence as there could be in a repair shop. Finally, Paul looked up at Jamie.

"Law's dojo is right across the street. Meet me there in an hour…make sure you're well rested, cuz you're gonna need all the energy you can get." Paul said as he walked out. "Hope you're ready Jamie. I'm not gonna go easy on you just 'cause you're young. School's in session kid. Hope you're prepared."

Jamie stood alone in the garage bay, contemplating for several seconds…then; a thin smile graced his lips.

_I wouldn't have it any other way…bring it on Paul!_

Author's Note: Duh nuh nuh!!!!! Wuh-oh, what's gonna happen now? Who will triumph in the ensuing battle? Oh, and by the way, Paul's not a bad guy, he's just a "tough guy"…I actually like Paul…anyway, not much else to say right now. Read and Review please!!!! I luvs me some reviews!!!!! Oh, and sorry for not updating as fast as I normally do. Whenever I'd try to log in, it wouldn't let me cuz the URL or whatever was busy! But i'm back now!!!! Please Review!!!!


	17. Chapter 16: Lessons

Author's Note: Ch-ch-ch-check it out cats n' kittens! Moontearz is back from partyin' down on New Years Eve…don't remember much…but it was a blast!!! Anyways, all that's important is the fact that we're in 2005, and all alive and well. Wellity wellity, well, it looks like Jamie's in for a brawl with Paul Phoenix…what's gonna happen? Why don't you read and find out? And while you're reading, why don't you write a nice lil' review for me…cuz that'd be super-duper mad fun!!!! Oh, and before I forget…I don't know exactly how old Forrest Law is…so I'm just gonna say that he's Jamie's age…yeeeaaaaaahhhh…anyway, please don't hate me for it!

"Wait…where are you?" Hwoarang asked through the static on Jamie's cell phone.

"I'm walking over to Law's dojo." Jamie explained as he began to walk briskly across the street.

"…and do what exactly?" Hwoarang asked.

"Learn how Paul beat Patrick in the 3rd tournament."

"Wait? What? How?"

"Thank you for that cleverly articulated statement," Jamie began. "Paul's gonna show me how he beat Patrick, we're gonna fight, and he's gonna deliver the same moves that he did to Patrick, and I'm going to try to stave off the blows, and manage to layeth the smack down on him."

Hwoarang sighed "Jamie, look…be careful okay? Paul's a lot faster then he looks…he's got some moves that could even level a Nephilim. I mean, he's been in every tournament for a reason."

"What? Try and stretch his 15 minutes of fame to a whole hour?" Jamie asked with a smirk.

"Jamie…"

"Look Hwoarang. Don't worry, caution is my middle name…well, actually it's Brandon, but don't tell anyone. I'm just makin' with the funny so I don't completely wig out. I won't underestimate Paul. Now listen, stop worrying about me and go see your movie with Julia," Jamie opened the door to Law's dojo, and heard the pleasant jingle of the door. "I've gotta go, I'll talk to you later." The Nephilim finished.

Jamie snapped his flip phone shut, and took a seat on a set of bleachers where some of the other parents sat. From beyond the protective mirror, Jamie could see a Chinese man (who bore a striking resemblance to Bruce Lee) monitor a group of 5 year olds begin sparring. He wore the traditional gi of a master, so Jamie figured that he must be the proprietor of the shop…Marshall Law.

The dojo looked like it had been around for a while; the green gym mat looked faded and well worn. The weapons (which were proudly mounted on a rack) were covered with scratches and scars from obvious use. Jamie noticed that they were the common weapons that one could find in any Karate school.

He counted four nunchaku, about a dozen bamboo kendo swords, a dozen wooden swords called "bokkens", several wooden bo staffs and naginatas (Both Jamie's personal favorite weapons), and a proudly displayed kitana, kept out of the children's reach. The children began to spar, while the teenaged black belts sat cross-legged on the other side of the mat chatting quietly amongst themselves, and watching the ensuing fight with a cool detachment.

Jamie chuckled to himself, he too, was a black belt, and an assistant instructor like these kids, and he knew that they were bored out of their minds, and were hoping that the next adult class would start so they could spar amongst themselves…or go home and sleep, depending on the age range. The younger black belts were all about sparring, while the older ones just wanted to get through the class and go home.

One of the black belts glanced up from his conversation with a girl and looked at Jamie. He looked like about Jamie's age, and a younger version of Law, so Jamie assumed that the two must be related.

The young man quietly bowed out, and jogged off the mat towards Jamie.

"Can I help you?" He asked politely and with a smile.

Assistant Instructors and the like were always polite and courteous towards newcomers and customers. This helped take the intimidation out of martial arts, and was always genuinely appreciated. Jamie could tell that he was being authentically nice about it too…and he appreciated it. Jamie was so sick of mind games and shit.

"Yeah, I'm Jamie Parker. I'm supposed to-"

The young man's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and awe.

"Oh yeah I know who you are! You're the kid in the tournament right? And, you're here to fight uncle Pau-…I mean Paul." He said.

"Yup, that'd be me." Jamie said with a smile.

"My name's Forrest. Forrest Law. Marshall's my dad. I was in the 3rd King of Iron Fist Tournament, but I can't be in this one 'cuz of school and stuff…anyway, the Little Dragon class is almost over, then there's like, ten minutes to get ready and stuff. That's when you'll fight Paul. He said it would probably take about that time to kick your ass anyway." Forrest explained.

It was apparent that Forrest was a very gregarious, extraverted person who loved to talk. Jamie marveled at this ability to speak that long and barely take a breath.

"Really? He said that huh?" Jamie asked.

"Well, yeah…I mean, no offense man, you may've beaten Marduk and Lee, but Paul's pretty strong. I'm sure you're a tough fighter and all, but…what possessed you to do this?" Forrest asked in a hushed whisper, discussing Paul as if he was an omnipresent force who might be listening.

"Let's just say that I'm doing this for someone."

"Who? A friend?"

"Sorta. It's kinda complicated." Jamie finished.

"Well, alright. But if there's anything I can do for you, lemme know okay?" Forrest said, about ready to dash off.

"Actually, there is something that you could do for me," Jamie grinned sheepishly. "I kinda forgot my gi…or any kind of gym clothes…can you guys hook me up or something?"

"Sure. Follow me, I'll get you something." Forrest said with a smile, gesturing for Jamie to follow him.

Jamie hated wearing new gi's. They felt as stiff as cardboard, itchy, and scratchy on his bare chest. The gi that Forrest had given him, was about two sizes too small, and felt somewhat confining on his frame. Jamie only hoped that it wouldn't be too detrimental when he confronted Paul. Ideally, baggy clothes were ideal when it came to fighting anything…demons or otherwise. True, Jamie had managed to kill a cemetery full of zombies in a pair of tight boot cut jeans…but those were zombies. Zombies were slow moving and stupid…Paul was fast and probably a lot smarter then he looked.

As Jamie emerged from the changing room, he sat on the side of the mat, and began to stretch. Law was in the process of bowing the little kids out.

"Alright, raise your hands in the air and yell; I CAN DO IT!" Law shouted.

"I CAN DO IT!" The kids shouted back.

Jamie smiled to himself as he popped his back…they did this sort of thing with the little kids back at his Karate school. Law then told the children to shout several life affirming phrases like: "I love myself." And "I'm a winner".

Finally, the kids dashed off the mat in a hurry to meet up to the outstretched hands of their parents. Jamie bowed onto the mat, and began to perform a few light, kicks and punches to the punching bag…if he was incredibly angry, and unleashing full Nephilim strength, he could actually kick it off it's chain, but he decided that it would be best not to show that side of him…or at least until Paul came.

As Jamie performed easy, three hit combos, he became aware of tapping on the glass. He turned around to see who it was, and was shocked to see that it was Xiaoyu! He hadn't seen her all day, and in his paranoid, Nephilim way, began to think that something had happened to her.

She wore a pair of faded, flared jeans, and a black top. Her hair was tied back in a messy, half bun, rather then her traditional pig tails. Jamie quickly dashed off of the mat, and ran to greet her.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, as she embraced him.

"Hey Xiao!" Jamie replied.

She let him go, and gave him a once over. "You look great! I was so worried about you last night…you looked pretty bad."

"Yeah, amazing what that Nephilim gene can do for a fella like me." Jamie replied.

"Julia called me on my cell and told me you were awake. Jin and I were having breakfast at that coffee shop we went to when I got the message. So, we went back to the hotel to look for you, but Hwoarang said that you were here about to fight Paul."

"So you came to cheer me on?" Jamie asked, truly touched.

"Yeah, and I got something for you." Xiao said.

Jamie had noticed that she was carrying a messenger bag with her. She dug into the bag, and pulled out a frayed, threadbare black belt…Jamie's black belt.

"I wasn't snooping in your luggage or anything, but I figured that you'd need this. You left your gi too. I thought about bringing it, but I didn't have enough room in my bag."

"Ling…" Jamie began, genuinely touched.

"Jin should be here pretty soon. He's next store at the gas station getting some sodas so you have something to drink after the fight."

"You guys are awesome…thank you so much." Jamie said as he tied his belt around his waist.

Jamie wished that the moment among his newfound friend could have lasted forever…unfortunately, that was not to be. The door to the school opened, and a hushed silence filled the room. Even Forrest, who was currently flirting with an attractive black belt girl, went quiet.

Paul Phoenix had entered the dojo.

He walked over to where Jamie and Ling stood. He smiled good naturedly at the Chinese girl.

"Sorry Xiao. I'm gonna have to take your special friend away for a couple of minutes. You can have him back," He then glanced at Jamie with a glare that could freeze blood. "When I'm done with him that is."

Wordlessly, Jamie followed Paul to the center of the mat. The two dropped into a fighter's stance.

"Just in time, I thought I wasn't gonna get my work out today!" Paul said.

"You wanna piece of me? I'll give you the whole damn pie!" Jamie retorted.

"I can honestly say that I like your spirit kid…but in the end, that's all you are, apunk kidwith an attitude problem."

The fight began with Jamie rushing at Paul.

"Ah, how fitting. Patrick opened up with that same move," Paul began.

Jamie unleashed a jumping side kick. Paul stepped out of the way, and grabbed Jamie's exposed leg and flung him against a wall…the blow was so hard and fierce that the wind was knocked out of Jamie, and had cracked the plaster of the wall.

"And that was how I blocked it. Lesson the first: Just because you have powers, never underestimate your enemy's ingenuity."

Jamie got up, and coughed lightly. "A minor screw up. C'mon, what else ya got teach?"

This time, Paul ran at Jamie, punching and kicking. The Nephilim blocked as many of the attacks as he could, but found that Paul's strength was becoming too much for his arms to handle. Unintentionally, Jamie stumbled slightly, leaving him open for another attack. Quick as lighting, Paul unleashed a forward flip, and his incredibly strong legs landed on top of Jamie's head.

The Nephilim yelped in pain as he fell face first on the mat…the mat that was dirty with countless amounts of sweat. Jamie stayed down for a minute and let Paul gloat.

"Lesson the second: Even though legends say that you're superior when it comes to combat. It only takes one person to know your weakness to make you fall. All I did was keep coming at you with kicks and punches…not very promising."

Furious, Jamie leapt up, and dropped into a fighter stance, lightly bouncing on the balls of his feet. Paul ran at him, but Jamie managed to dodge his attacks. Paul attempted to punch Jamie, but the Nephilim spun out of the way, and unleash a light, but effective spinning crescent kick.

"So, what lesson was that?" Jamie asked sweetly.

Infuriated, Paul reared back his fist…but didn't punch right away…in fact, it looked like he was charging something up. Oh well, Jamie decided to give his jump kick another try, so he went for it.

"JAMIE NO!!!!!" He heard Ling scream from behind the glass.

Jamie attempted to stop, but he wasn't fast enough, Paul glanced at Jamie with a smirk, then unleashed his punch. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion for the Nephilim. He felt the blow hit his chest…then it felt like it had pierced through his stomach, and shattered his spine…the pain felt so real, that Jamie quickly checked to see if it had happened it had not, but he another problem to deal with… he was hydroplaning through the air, and colliding with the weapons rack.

Quickly, he rolled out of the way as the wickedly sharp katana fell through the air…sinking into the gym mat right where Jamie's face would have been if he hadn't moved. He tried to get up but couldn't…he groaned in agony as his intestines felt like they were on fire. Paul walked up to Jamie's fallen form.

"No pain, no gain kid! Lesson the third: Just 'cause you have super powers, doesn't mean you can rely on them all the time." Paul walked away from Jamie's writhing form, then turned his head. "Y'know, I was actually a little worried about this match. I mean, when I fought Patrick, he at least put a fight. He almost beat me. I figured one of his successors would be a stronger version of him…thanks for proving me wrong kid!"

That did it. Slowly, Jamie began to get up. Eyes burning with intensity, and teeth firmly clenched. He struggled to get up…but finally succeeded. He picked up the throwing star that lay on the ground and threw it with all his might. The weapon grazed Paul's ear, and landed against the wall with a resounding thunk.

"Hey Paul. You might've finished your lessons, but I've got a few of my own." Jamie said weakly.

Paul turned and smiled. "Okay. Then bring it on."

Jamie dashed forward, releasing as many kicks and punches as fast as he could. Some blows connected, some did not. Finally, Jamie began to let loose a roundhouse kick, that Paul began to block, but at the last second, Jamie turned it into a spinning jumping roundhouse kick. Paul was powerless to stop the attack, and spun through the air as the blow connected with his head.

"Lesson one: Always expect the unexpected."

Paul got up and tried to attack Jamie, who back flipped out of the way, and grabbed the first weapon he could. A bo staff.

Jamie twirled the weapon in a figure eight motion. He spun it so fast that it turned into a blur, and whistled through the air…hitting Paul in the face several times. Paul backed off, and Jamie clocked Paul in the chin with one of the staffs' ends…then tripping him with a low blow to the ankle with the staff.

"Lesson two: Always expect the unexpected."

Paul panted heavily as Jamie held the staff in a ready stance, waiting for the biker's next move…he didn't have one. The look in Paul's eyes was all Jamie needed to know that he was done. As a sign of good faith, Jamie reached out to grab Paul's hand to pull him up.

"I'm sor-" Paul began, before he was interrupted by a loud crash.

The wall exploded in a mixture of bricks, plaster and glass. Jamie fell on his butt, and quickly scooted backwards to avoid the flying debris. Through the dust, all he could see were three sets of red eyes…robot eyes…

They were Combots! Lee's Combots!

Jamie immediately got up to attack, but was flung through the air by one of them when he tried. Wasting no time, they leapt through the protective glass and grabbed Forrest, one of the instructors, and…Xiaoyu!

"JAMIE!!!!!" She screamed.

"LING!!!!"

Wasting no time, Jamie leapt up, and through the broken window after the robots. At that second, Jin came running out of the gas station across the street and down the road. Jamie caught up with the Japanese man quickly.

"WHERE'D THEY GO?!" Jamie asked as he ran with Jin.

"Down the road towards the water!" Jin replied. "Jamie, they've got Ling."

"I know. Forrest, and another girl too. We've gotta save them!" Jamie exclaimed.

"Follow me, I think I know where they went!"

So the two young men ran after the mysterious Combots…leaving Jamie to wonder who was behind it, and if Lee had really died…

Author's Note: Gasp!!! I'm just full of suprises! What's gonna happen? Will they rescue Xiao in time, and why did the Combots grab her and Forrest. Who sent them? And for what purpose? Read and Review and find out everyone!!!!


	18. Chapter 17: Rise of the Machines

Authors Note: Hey everyone! I totally goofed up on the last chappie. I didn't mean too, and I kinda rushed through to get it done. Sorry about that…oh, and I'll be headin' back to school pretty soon so I might not be updating as often as I usually do. I started this story in the beginning of x-mas break, so I might be updating every weekend or so. At any rate, please keep up with the reviews and thanks for everyone's overwhelming support! Please keep it up!!!

From the rooftops of Tokyo to the sewers…Jamie Parker had indeed come a long way from leaping across roofs and gables. The sewers were uncomfortably humid, and smelled like excrement, rotting food, and trash. This was one aspect of his Nephilim duties that he hated. As the Chosen One, his responsibilities called for him to patrol nightly. This meant that he would walk through dangerous back alleys, jump roof tops, traverse cemeteries, and yes, even trek through the sewers.

So here he was, Jamie Parker, eighteen years old, slogging through the fetid sludge of the sewers searching for the three Combots that had jumped down here…with Forrest Law, that black belt girl, and…Xiaoyu.

_Ling…hold on okay? I'm coming I promise!_

Jin was busy helping a man named Lei (who happened to be a cop, and was a participant in the tournament) and the other cops fend off about five Combots. Ordinarily, Jamie would've leapt into the fray with them, but Jin told him to track down the three who took Xiao and the others. The five that appeared topside were meant to divert the Nephilim's attention from the three that had kidnapped Xiao and the others.

Truthfully, Jamie would have liked to have more help in this situation…but Marshall had been hit in the head with a brick after the Combots busted through the wall, and Paul was busy getting the kids to some semblance of safety, while taking care of his best friend.

Jamie also wished that he had shoes, a weapon, and something else to wear other then a thin gi…which offered little to no protection to anything…elements or otherwise. Jamie only hoped that these Combots weren't too hard to smash. In his three years of fighting the forces of darkness Jamie had never fought robots…he only hoped that he could treat them the same way he'd treat a vamp, or any other kind of demon.

However, without weapons, he was at a serious disadvantage…he'd have to keep his wits about him if he was ever to stop these crazed androids. This scenario was starting to play out disturbingly similar to the events last night with Lee. Which raised another question; Combots were Lee's brainchild…his opus…who had activated them? And to what purpose? Lee was dead…right? Could it have been Kazuya? And why would he send these robots out in broad daylight in such an obvious way?

The undead were always very discreet with their dealings…the fact that they were acting out in such a way disturbed Jamie…something big was coming…but what? Jamie didn't have time to think about it anymore. A scream echoed down the sewers halls.

"I CAN'T DIE LIKE THIS! NOT LIKE THIS! SOMEBODY….HELP!!!!!!"

"That's my cue." Jamie murmured.

The voice sounded like Forrest's, so Jamie sprinted down the sewers platform towards the echoing tone. Several minutes later Jamie saw the red eyes of a Combot beginning to calmly walk down another hall. Forrest was draped over the robot's shoulder, and held in a tight grip.

"Yo bolt brain! Why dontcha put him down and pick on someone remotely your size?" Jamie asked.

"Does not compute." The robot said casually, before glancing at Jamie. "While the Master does want you terminated I was not constructed for that assignment."

"Oh, okay then. Well, why don't I make it compute?" Jamie asked.

He lunged at the Combot with a flying side kick. The blow hit the robot dead in the center of its chest. The Combot stumbled slightly backwards and dropped Forrest onto the hard concrete.

"Resistance is futile. Please step aside and another one of my colleagues will exterminate you properly." The robot calmly explained.

"How 'bout no!" Jamie shouted.

Jamie punched the Combot twice; roundhouse kicked it, and then finished with a short spin kick. The attacks hurt Jamie's bare feet and hands, but the Combot showed no signs of pain, or resistance. Instead, it looked at Jamie with its creepy red eyes.

"Processing…scanning…" It muttered in its eerie computer voice.

"Jamie! Watch out it can-" Forrest began.

He didn't finish when the Combot…quick as lightning, mimicking Jamie's combo exactly incredibly fast. Jamie sky rocketed through the air, and landed on an exposed pipe. The pipe bent, and steam began to pour through the hall.

"What the hell?!?!?" Jamie asked as he got up.

"The Combot can mimick anyone's fighting styles!" Forrest explained.

"Okay…then how do I kill it?" Jamie asked, dropping into his fighting stance.

Much to his annoyance, the android mirrored the Nephilim's chosen stance.

"I dunno…I-I-I never fought it!" Forrest stammered.

_O-kay…if I can't kill Poseur-bot 5000 by fighting it…there must be another way…_

That's when Jamie got his idea.

He ran as fast as he could at the Combot…sure enough, the Combot followed suit. At the last second, Jamie leapt into the air, and spun around. He landed behind the Combot. With only a second to spare, Jamie jumped onto the robot's back, and grabbed its head. The Combot shook Jamie in desperation, but the Nephilim clung to dear life. With all his strength, Jamie pulled and tugged on its head until he finally heard a snap…then a pop.

Seconds later, Jamie held the robot's head in his hands, while the body lay on the floor. Multicolored sparks shot everywhere.

"Huh…how cool. Pop the top and you get fireworks!" He said with a grin.

"That was amazing Jamie…" Forrest marveled.

Jamie moved to help Forrest up. "How'd you do that?" He asked.

"Oh…y'know…diet and exercise."

"But-"

"Listen. Forrest, follow that yellow pipe towards a ladder. That ladder'll take you topside. If the police are around, stick with them alright?" Jamie explained.

"Jamie…they got Miyako." Forrest said with dismay.

Jamie figured that was the instructor that they took. "I know. But I'll get her back! Don't worry." Jamie paused for a second. "Did the Combot tell you what they're doing? Or where they're going?"

"They just said that the sewers were the safest and most direct route to their destination…but these sewers lead to the cemetery…what would they want-"

"Gotta go Forrest! Get to that exit okay?" Jamie interrupted as he dashed off.

Normally, Jamie would escort the former captives to safety, or at least hand them an extra bottle of holy water…but he didn't have time to be an escort, and he was currently defenseless.

_So, they're taking them to the cemetery…that's never a good sign…cemeteries equal occult rituals, which equal sacrifices…usually live ones…but without any sacrifices, they can't perform a ritual. Stands to reason that I need to smash 'em up before they reach that graveyard!_

This way and that, Jamie followed the mezzanine tunnels until he heard two screams…girl screams. Jamie picked up the pace, he had been sprinting at full Nephilim speed before…but now he managed to push himself just a little further. Eventually, the tunnels ended in a large room. Rushing sewage water came pouring through a concrete waterfall and into a tiny reservoir. In the reservoir were two rotating fans that were meant to filter out the garbage, and let the clean water go through.

"Jamie!!!!!" Xiao screamed.

She was across the room…a vampire holding her in it's wickedly sharp claws. She hadn't been bitten yet…which was good. To get to her, he needed to traverse some kind of mesh bridge over the reservoir, and the dangerous fans. The room housed about two Combots, and the vampire holding Xiao.

The girl Miyako, was held by one of the Combots. Jamie decided to get her first, as she was the closest. The Nephilim flipped through the air and landed in front of the Combot.

"Bashie smashie!" Jamie exclaimed with a smile.

The Combot dropped Miyako…terrified, she huddled into a corner.

Jamie and the Combot fought each other…but the two were evenly matched. The vampire seemed to enjoy the ensuing battle...but he kept Xiao from speaking by clamping his hand over her mouth. Suddenly, the second Combot joined the battle. He was bigger then the first and looked dark blue rather then off white like the others. It had an antennae sticking out of its back, and fought with much more ferocity then the others.

Jamie had been placed at a disadvantage, as he was sandwiched between the two robots. Miyako tried to help, but was flung across the room like a pesky fly.

"Jamie! The bigger one controls them!!! Take it out!" Ling screamed.

"Shut up bitch!" The vampire growled as he backhanded Ling.

Infuriated, Jamie grabbed the bigger Combot and flung it in the water. The robots were waterproof, but it didn't matter. The Combot floundered as the current began to take it towards the rotating fans.

The results were literally explosive.

The androids tough body had been jammed in the fan's rotating blade. It couldn't move until it finally overheated and exploded. The Combot that started fighting the Nephilim sparked…then abruptly crashed to the floor. During the chaos, the vampire holding Xiao began to escape.

"Jamie!! MPHMN!" Xiao exclaimed before she was gagged.

"Ling…dammit!" Jamie cursed.

The resulting explosion had destroyed the mesh bridge. No one could possibly make the jump.

Except the Nephilim.

Focusing his energy, Jamie ran towards the end of the pavement, then executed a flying leap to the other side. He landed in a less-then-graceful tumble…but now was not the time to get upset over minor injuries. He had to save Ling and stop this ritual! Miyako quickly thanked him from the other side and ran off towards safety.

Quickly, Jamie dashed after Xiao and her vampire captor. The hall ended with a ladder leading up. Jamie took it, and poked his head out from under the manhole to discover a cemetery across the street.

"Well…at least I'm not in those nasty sewers again." Jamie murmured as he hopped up.

He jogged briskly through the graveyard's rusted gates…and towards the very center of hell…

Author's Note: Okay, I know what you're thinking…where's Jin?! Don't worry, he's making an appearance in a BIG way!!! Oh, and Jamie's got another surprise…well several…in store for him. Will Xiao be saved in time? Once again, who sent the Combots out? And why are the forces of darkness acting out so publicly? All this and many more will be answered in the next chappie! You know the drill…read, review, and give me your input please…I LUVS ME SOME REVIEWS!!!!!!


	19. Chapter 18: Blood Talon

Author's Note: Hello all! Once again, MoonTearz is back to give you the latest installment in the Angels and Demons saga! Not much is new with me…um…I'm gonna leave for school again pretty soon, so that's kinda lame…but I get out again for Spring Break, and then a week of finals, and then I'm done with freshman year!!!! Wooo-hooo!!!! Anyway, please keep reviewing and stuff…I luvs me some reviews!!! Please don't forget about me ::makes puppy dog eyes:: pwwweeeeeaaassseeee?

Jamie hopped out from under the manhole covering, and walked towards the cemetery gate. The cold attacked his bare feet mercilessly, and the cuffs of his gi pants were already soaked…in fact, the gi he wore had just been in a sewer for several hours. It had turned a wrinkled brown, with various rips and tears on it…not to mention the fact that it smelled worse then an ass end of a dumpster. Jamie doubted that Master Law would want it back.

The Nephilim started to walk towards the cemetery gates, but he heard footsteps…dozens of them from behind. Jamie wasn't sure if they were friendly or not…he hoped they were because he really didn't have the time to deal with anything else. They sounded human…defiantly not robotic, so Jamie quickly whirled around, and dropped into a fighter's stance.

What he saw before him both shocked, and amazed him at the same time. Hwoarang next to Jin. He had that wicked grin on his face. Jin looked serious as ever.

"Don't say my sources never come through." Hwoarang said, he made a broad sweeping gesture. "For the Nephilim who has everything. Behold! Your own private army! I've called in a few favors from the Japanese faction of the Blood Talon."

Behind the three of them were a dozen or so guys and girls, most very young, some looked even younger then fifteen! They all wore black; their faces a mixture of hopeful, wary, and just plain freaked out. Hwoarang and Jin spoke to the group, pacing back and forth in rapid Japanese. Hwoarang gesticulated, and made stabbing motions.

The Japanese faction of the Blood Talon listened intently, casting their gazes toward Jamie. One of the girls smiled very shyly and gave him a little wave, then spoke very softly to Hwoarang, adding her two _yen _worth to the conversation.

After a few minutes, Jin announced, "They have all agreed to make you their leader," He glanced at Hwoarang tentatively…slightly afraid of his reaction…he seemed fine. "Temporarily of course…but they want to help you save Xiaoyu, and any of the other people who might've been kidnapped…they said that they'd be willing to die for Master Hwoarang…and a renowned warrior such as yourself."

Jamie smiled and gave a sincere "_Arigato_"…but still, he didn't want to hoard in on Hwoarang's turf. "Are you sure?" He asked, glancing over at Hwoarang.

"Sure, you can say yes. I mean, you're the leader for tonight and all. But they know who their real commander is." Hwoarang said with a casual grin and shrug of the shoulders.

"Ah, well, I do have school…" Jamie began.

Then he realized how ridiculous that must sound to them-a supernatural demon fighter who worried more about grades then killing the bad guys. Not that that was true; it was just that he had to make his way in the world, and where he came from, that didn't happen without a college degree. Weird, but true: even the Nephilim had to think about his future.

Still, Jamie couldn't pass up the opportunity. It was a great honor…and Xiao needed help now!

"All right then," he said. "I'm your leader. Take me to your bad guys."

So, the group walked into the cemetery. The gate had some sort of strange locking mechanism on it, but Hwoarang picked the lock…Jamie could've easily broken it off, but he let the fiery haired Korean do his thing. As they entered the cemetery, one of the older men, tall with a shaved head, handed Jamie two wicked looking, hand held battle axes.

"I run a weapons pawnshop…I knew that these would be suited for a warrior such as yourself…" He said shyly with a deep bow.

"Arigato!" Jamie said warmly, and offered another bow.

Japanese culture was not too alien to the Nephilim. After all, he was born in Japan, and had lived here for the first five years of his life. Having a father in the navy insured that sort of lifestyle. Jamie knew rudimentary Japanese…enough to get by. Jamie tucked the blades in his ragged black belt, and was about to walk on…his feet were already completely numb from the cold and he winced slightly.

"Thought you could use these, leader." Jin said with a smile.

In his hands he held a pair of thin, black Tae Kwon Do shoes. They were slip on, and would offer meager protection…but they were shoes nonetheless! Jamie graciously thanked Jin.

"Look! And it's not even my birthday!" He grinned, and slipped them on.

Jin cocked his head. "You're not as I expected," he said frankly. "You are very much an American teenager."

"Perky? Sarcastic?" Jamie suggested dryly.

He was enthusiastic about that adjective. "Very."

They had a little moment, Demon Hunter and demon hunter, and in that moment, Jamie began to see Jin more as an ally then some mysterious wise man. He even forgave him for sucker punching him in the side of the head!

Jamie retied his low ponytail as the snow tumbled on himself, Hwoarang, Jin, and the members of the Blood Talon. It was another world here, compared to the crowded Tokyo street scene just a few feet away. Pristine snow glistened on large stone lanterns, on manicured evergreen trees, on a towering statue of a samurai. Despite the obvious, demonic goings-on around here, there was an undercurrent of goodness here.

Jamie was no Buddhist, but he knew holy ground when he felt it. Maybe it was all the hopes and dreams that the Japanese had poured into their prayers as they paid homage to their fallen heroes…after all, this was where the legendary Ronin Warriors were buried.

_What did they used to call it? It was in that Marky-Mark song? Oh, yeah! Good vibrations._

As they walked through the pristine quiet, ripples of conversation began to stir.

"How many members in this Japanese faction of the Blood Talon are there?" Jamie asked Hwoarang.

"Many. But this is just a raiding party…I didn't want to risk everyone. I gathered as many as I could for the cause…normally, there are more but they have families…" Hwoarang trailed off.

"It's okay. This'll do fine. But, I mean…can they handle hand-to-hand very well?"

Jamie gestured to several of the girls in the party…they looked quite fragile.

"Believe me. They're stronger then they look." Hwoarang said.

"Um…excuse me…" A girl ran up to Jamie. She was the same one who had waved at him earlier. "Why is there only one of you?"

Jamie held out his hands. "I've often wondered the same thing," he replied. "If I'm the only thing standing between the forces of evil and the world, why don't I at least have some other Nephilim-like help? But, I've got some friends back home, and," He glanced at Hwoarang and Jin…who, for the sake of the mission were getting along quite well…even though they didn't look at eachother…or speak. "Some new friends in this tournament. In fact, we're gonna go rescue one of those friends."

The girl seemed satisfied and she retreated back into ranks.

"Any other questions?" Jamie asked.

_Such as why this job doesn't come equipped with a rocket launcher?!_

"Have you ever killed a vampire? Master Baek spoke of them a lot…" One of the older guys asked, he must've been about thirty.

"Yes. Several. And lots of other demons."

"Have you ever killed a dragon?" He continued.

"Dragon…I've never seen one," Jamie said, intrigued. He didn't know if dragons were real or not.

They shuffled through the snow, their footfalls loosening the icy crust so that their movements sounded as if they were walking over cornstarch, the way they used to do it in the movies to sound like people were walking over snow. Jamie reflected on that circular reality for a moment, then pulled himself back to the moment. He was more stressed then he realized. First the Combots, then the hostages, and now Xiao…his friend was in peril. Back in his hometown of Treasure Island, he knew all the demon hotspots, and felt that he almost always, had the upper hand in battles.

In Tokyo, this was a totally different story. He was in a new environment, and he didn't like it. The way that the members of the Blood Talon were glancing nervously around did not make him feel any better.

_I shouldn't let them know that I'm scared. They're into all that macho Japanese leader, inner poise kinda stuff._

Walking tall, he kept himself poised for battle, quelling his anxiety, staying focused, but not fearful.

They walked along a pathway punctuated by occasional buildings and small shrines. He had a vague idea of what they were used for and what they signified, but now was not the time to play tourist. They were on a deadly rescue mission and everyone needed to keep their wits about them.

After a few minutes, they turned right into a walled square and everyone froze to stare at the rows upon rows of Japanese-style graves, each with a small, simple obelisk atop a slab of granite.

The moonlight glowed down on nearly fifty graves, which had for so long served as a moving symbol for fidelity and honor. Highlighted by moonbeams, a shadow rose from among the gravestones and flitted across the back row, scrabbling out of sight. Jamie craned his neck in its direction.

It was followed by another, this one a more distinctly human-like figure. There was a hiss like a cat, followed by the clang of metal on stone.

"Jin? Isn't this where samurai are buried?" Jamie asked nervously.

"Yes." Jin said simply.

"What the hell is that sound?" Jamie asked eerily calm.

"Swords…clanging against the gravestones." Hwoarang explained.

An apprehensive murmur ran through the group. The tension level among them mushroomed. One of the girls began to cry and another girl put her arm around her and spoke soothingly. They touched cheeks, and Jamie wondered briefly if they were sweeties.

Then it was back to business, gesturing for everyone to remain still, Hwoarang turned to Jamie.

"I didn't know that there were going to be so many of these vampires…what kills them again?"

"Oh, the usual. Sharp, pointy objects that slice a head off…anything of any religious significance…um, crossbows work equally well too." Jamie finished.

Turning, he felt sorry for the crying girl…who currently held a crossbow.

"Do you know how to use this?" Jamie asked in English.

The girl looked unsure.

Jamie was about to repeat the question when the shadows exploded and launched at them like black missiles. Dozens of vampires attacked en masse, a roiling, dark horde unleashed on a handful or humans. A few were dressed in medieval samurai battle gear-thick leather armor, gauntlets, and helmets topped with scimitar-shaped blades. Others wore more tattooed. Jamie remembered that tatts were always big in Japan…always had been.

As they took in their predicament-so many vampires, so little of them-pandemonium erupted among the Blood Talon. The two guys who hadn't been able to believe that Jamie was a divine warrior assumed battle stance; one with a dagger, and another with a kitana.

The girl with the crossbow screamed and dropped it, running and stumbling through the snow. A vampire leaped after her, and Jamie ran after it, ax at the ready. Then the vampire slipped on an icy patch and went down on his knees, and Jamie seized the advantage. Coming from behind, he sliced the creatures head clean off.

Meanwhile, with perfect form, Jin held his katana firmly against his lower abdomen-the Japanese center of _ki_, or life energy-and deftly stepped aside as a fierce looking vampire with a long, black mustache rushed him. Then he rammed the sword into the vampire's arm. Enraged, the monster turned toward him, and in that moment, Jin plunged the sword through the demon's heart.

The vampire exploded in azure flames…and Jamie noticed the most thin of smiles grace Jin's lips.

_Good fighter…_ Jamie thought approvingly as he swung his ax with all his might like a baseball bat…decapitating a trio of vamps in one fell swoop. The flames that erupted from them melted the snow around him. As he kicked at another vampire sharply in the jaw, he looked for Xiao's kidnapper…he was nowhere to be found.

_They're trying to keep us busy…they must be starting this ritual now!!! And these vamps are here to keep us from getting to them!_

Beside him, Hwoarang leapt in the air and let loose a blood curdling battle cry, and slammed his boot clad heel down the center of a vampire's skull. The vamp's head cracked open like a walnut exposing its brain, and while it was reeling from the damage, Hwoarang grabbed the vamp's discarded sword, and sliced it's head off.

"_Banzai!"_ Jamie yelled in congratulation, and Hwoarang flashed a huge, prideful grin.

The wind blew; the snow fell. Drifts whipped up and all around him, snow was on his face, and in his hair (which had long since come out of its ponytail).

"_Kazuya-sama,"_ Jamie called to Jin. "_Imasuka?"_

"_Ah so," _Jin replied, which was the Japanese language equivalent of "Hmm, let me see."

At that moment, he explained the intentions of the war to Hwoarang and Jin, who had been pushed together, fighting with Jamie.

"Go! Get Xiao!" Jin shouted.

"But-"

"Go now! But hurry back!" Hwoarang yelled.

Jamie whirled around, and found a mausoleum where several of the vamps had come out of…maybe she was in there?

With his patented Jamie Parker war cry he plunged through the hordes of vampire's blocking the mausoleum. He kept fighting as he ran, putting a dent in the small vamp army and morale sky rocketed! At one point, he realized how hungry he was; at another, how tired…and he was also aware of how much blood was coated on the snow, and of the fact that some was his: His lip had been split open and blood was splashing from a head wound just behind his right ear. It was big and it hurt, but he had Nephilim strength regenerative powers, and he could already feel it beginning to heal.

Finally, Jamie fought his way into the mausoleum. He glanced behind him, and noticed that there were about five vamps left…Hwoarang, Jin, and the Blood Talon would be fine.

There was a hole in the center of the crumbling stone building. A strange chanting echoed through the room.

"Uh-oh…demonic karaoke…never a good sign."

Without thinking, Jamie jumped through the hole, and crashed onto an altar…spreading a fine powder throughout the crumbling cavern. Tied to a chain in the center of the area were Xiao, and two other youths. A pentagram was drawn underneath them.

"Jamie!" Ling exclaimed.

"No!!! The ritual!!" A voice shouted.

It didn't sound like Kazuya's…it sounded raspy, like dead leaves scraping on a cobblestone path. Jamie glanced in it's direction. The creature was wrapped in dark bandages, and had glowing, green eyes. It looked somewhat like a mummy. It floated through the air, and had a wickedly sharp claw for a left hand.

"Oops…my bad." Jamie called.

"The resurrection of Lee Chaolon's remains must continue as my Lord Kazuya requests."

"Oh, is this him?" Jamie asked.

He defiantly kicked the remainder of the ashes off the altar.

"Well, you're new. Not to mention hideous. What's your name?" Jamie asked as he hopped off the altar.

"I am Rahir the Ressurector…you destroyed the masters Mechanical soldiers, and freed several of my captives…but that is alright. You will do quite nicely Nephilim."

"Sorry, no can do. Jamie is not on the menu." Jamie said as he dropped into his fighter's stance once again.

And the two fought. Rahir was fast, but Jamie was faster. Clearly, Rahir wasn't used to the fighting. The only problem that Jamie had was the fact that Rahir could teleport. At one point, Rahir had teleported behind Jamie, and sliced at him in the back…cutting his _gi _to ribbons…and some of the flesh on his back. Angrily, Jamie whirled around, and jammed one of his axes at the first thing he could come in contact with…Rahir's face.

The blow worked, and the creature fell, crying tears of blood.

"Jamie! Oh my God thank you!" Xiao cried.

Jamie freed her, and the other two. Together, the four climbed out of the mausoleum…and out onto the now serenely quiet cemetery. Jamie looked around at the weary, but resolve-filled faces of Hwoarang, Jin, and the Blood Talon. Slowly, soundlessly, they turned and began to walk out of the graveyard…and towards their homes…

Meanwhile, on top of a shrine, several kilometers away, Kazuya Mishima sneered in contempt.

_Very well American Nephilim…cherish your small victory…I have truly underestimated you…if my brother, my high priests, and my minions can't stop you then maybe I should just do it myself._

The rage he felt burned within him…consumed him. He cried out in silent screams as his forehead began to split vertically…suddenly, a beam shot out from beneath him, and Kazuya was transformed…from the avatar of evil, to the actual embodiment of it. His purple, dragon-like feet clicked on the roof, and his tail swung angrily.

_Yes…I think I shall enjoy torturing you…you have such lovely tan skin…maybe I'll peel it off of you slowly, and make you eat pieces of it? Or shall I focus on your exotic blue eyes? Maybe pluck them out of your head ever so slowly?_

Finally, the Devil transformation was complete with the painful edition of wings. Turning, he squatted and leapt into the air…flying through the night.

Author's Note: Whew...longest chappie i've written so far...6 pages!!! Yeah, I know I kinda rushed the ending…I'm sorry. Anyway, I'm kinda having writer's block right now. I think I might know what to do, but I don't know how to do it…I know it's stupid and doesn't make sense…but please, if anyone has any suggestions on what should happen next please help me out a little…pwease? Anyway, once again, mad props go to you guys for reviewing, please don't stop…I luv's my reviews…but y'all knew that anyway! Peace out y'all! Keep Reviewing!!!!


	20. Chapter 19: Debts Repaid

Author's Note: I can't thank everyone enough for their wonderful reviews, please keep it up. Um…thanks for everyone's support, and please read and review this chappie!Well...it was bound to happen...the obligatory mushy chappie!And before I forget this chapter has some…some…SOME nudity…but its funny nudity not gratuitous and stuff…I thought that this story could use a little humor and I felt like this chappie would be the one to showcase it (the humor not the nudity…wait…I mean both…I mean wait, crap…I'm not making much sense…oh hell just read and review please!)

It was late by the time Hwoarang, Jin, Xiao, and Jamie got back to the hotel. The members of the Blood Talon had eventually tapered off from the four, and gone back to their respective homes.

"I…I can't thank you guys enough for saving me…" Xiao murmured, breaking the respective silence.

She leaned against Jin's firm chest, and he wrapped his arm protectively around her.

"Don't mention it, it's what I do." Jamie said tiredly.

The Nephilim was dog tired…more so then he had probably ever been in a long time. He also smelled terrible, and had garbage in his hair. The icy cold ruffled the ruined gi and stung his back…which had just begun to heal from Rahir's lacerations.

"That was so weird. I mean, one minute, I'm watching _Meet the Focker's _with Jules in the theater, and all of a sudden, this Combot busts through the screen." Hwoarang said.

"You mean you actually watched the movie?" Jamie asked.

"Well…not really, but we were almost there y'know? And then wham! This Combot appears outta nowhere!" Hwoarang exclaimed…further illustrating his point by smacking his fist against his open palm.

"Talk about a mood killer." Jin said.

Xiao opened her mouth in shock and glanced quickly over to Jamie. What an amazing breakthrough! Jin and Hwoarang barely spoke with one another, and even when they did it was almost always to snip and pick at each other. Could this be the catalyst that would finally end their feud?

"Don't get your hopes up." Jamie murmured with a smile to Xiao…she smirked and discreetly nodded her head.

The four walked up to their rooms…as it turned out, most of the competitors lived on the same floor, while the other guests stayed in the floors below (the fighters were given the top two floors). They stood in front of Jin's room…Ling didn't seem like she was going to hers. Jamie wasn't one to judge, he didn't care what the hell Xiao did with her boyfriend…I mean, they were in love, and lovers did things like this. Jin and Xiaoyu were his friends, and if they were happy, then that's all that mattered.

Jamie moved to walk off, while Xiao began hugging Hwoarang, until the Chinese beauty called to him.

"Jamie? C'mere!" Xiao beckoned.

Jamie turned, just in time to see Ling walk over to him.

"I…I didn't thank you enough for saving my life…you've done it so many times that I've lost count." She moved to hug him.

"Don't," Jamie began and moved back. "I'm all gross and disgusting."

"I don't care," Xiao argued and gave him a deep embrace, followed by a light kiss on the cheek. The small act of kindness meant the world to Jamie. When she looked into the Nephilim's eyes, there were tears sliding down her cheeks. "I will never forget what you've done for me…and what you're doing for the world…I'm so happy to call you my friend."

"Ling…" Jamie began, speechless.

_Someday...I'll repay you for everything you've done for me... _Xiao thought.

Goodnights and thank-you's went on for another several minutes, before everyone decided to retire to their rooms.

As soon as Jamie walked in his room one thing kept running through his mind:

_Must remove filthy disgusting gi and undergarments…must take long, hot cleansing shower, must obtain at least nineteen hours of precious, precious sleep…mmm…sleep…_

No one was in his room when he opened it…not that it mattered, had Steve, or the whole damn population of Tokyo been in the room he still would have stripped naked rather then wear the stinking, filthy karate uniform any longer. As soon as the door to his room shut, Jamie pulled the tattered gi clothes off with the speed of a cheetah.

The brownish, malodorous, rumpled mass of garments lay in a ball in the corner of the room. However, before Jamie jumped into the shower, he made sure to place his black belt in a plastic grocery bag…he would wash it in the morning. The SpongeBob SquarePants boxer shorts unfortunately, could not be saved.

Finally, he walked into the bathroom and turned the water on…it was cold still, he'd have to wait a bit for it to warm up. The towels on the rack were damp…Steve must not have replaced them…oh well; Jamie had some extras in his bag. The Nephilim walked out of the bathroom and towards his bed when he heard a knocking on the door.

"Not…happening…" Jamie groaned.

Jamie opened the door a crack, and peeped outside. It was Forrest.

_What the Hell is he doing here at this hour?!_

"Forrest…hey…" Jamie said with a smile…still keeping the door at a crack.

"Hey, Jamie," Forrest said tiredly.

The young Chinese man held a full plastic bag in his hands. His hair was wet, and the faint scent of shower gel lingered around him. "Um, I just wanted to say thanks. Y'know, for what you did for me today…and for…Miyako. I don't think I thanked you properly."

"Don't mention it Forrest. Are you guys okay? How's your dad's noggin?" Jamie asked.

"Dad says it hurts like a bitch, like a real bad hangover, but other then that he'll be fine. He's in the hospital right now, the doctors keeping him for the night to run some tests, but he'll be coming home in the morning."

"That's awesome."

"I didn't mean to bother you, but there was another reason that I came here…um," Forrest, who for the first time in his life seemed at a loss for words, picked up the bag and handed it to Jamie. "Dad said you'd probably want this stuff back…I mean, it is yours." Forrest held out the bag and Jamie's arm snaked out of the door to grab it.

"Thanks; I'm sure you want you're gi back too. It's kinda stanky, gross, and ripped to shreds…but I'll pay you back. And, I'd invite you in but I was about to take a shower when you knocked. So I'm experiencing a slight case of nudity right now." Jamie explained apologetically.

"Oh, it's alright…and, oh, dad says that you can stop by whenever you want to. But it's really weird, when I told him how he had saved me and Miyako…he and Paul looked at eachother and got real quiet…then Paul murmured something about this kid named Patrick, and dad mentioned Baek. Anyway, I gotta go." Forrest said before he left.

Baek? What about him? Jamie knew nothing about him, only that he was the founding member of the Blood Talon, had died fighting Toshin, and had been Hwoarang's mentor and father figure. Jamie would have liked to investigate the issue further, but found that he was too exhausted to investigate the matter further.

He investigated the contents of the bag, and pulled out his baggy jeans, longsleeve shirt, beat up Etnie brand sneakers, and yellow, comfy, warm snowboarding jacket.

"I sooo could've used this stuff earlier, but of course, I never have anything when I need it…story of my life." Jamie murmured.

He placed his things on his bed, and rummaged through his bag for an extra towel. He found one, but before Jamie could take it, and himself to the privacy of the bathroom, the door to his room opened wide, and instinctively, Jamie whirled around…in front of Steve…and…Christie…

"So, anyway I…WHOA MAN COVER THAT UP!!!" Steve shouted as he shielded his eyes.

The few seconds passed in pandemonium…Jamie quickly wrapped the towel around his waist, but he wasn't fast enough to stop his roommate and his roommate's girlfriend from getting the "full Jamie experience" he was aware of Christie smiling as happily as a kid on Christmas, and hearing her exclaim; "Oooohhh".

"I'm….sorry…" Jamie said exasperatingly as he dashed into the bathroom and into the shower…face beat red with embarrassment.

The next day was Sunday, the competitors were allowed the day off. Hwoarang, Julia, Jin, Xiao, Christie, and Steve sat in the dining hall with their breakfast.

"…And just like that, we opened the door and…there was Jamie…like totally naked standing right in front of us!" Christie exclaimed using her hands to illustrate her story.

"Knowing Jamie I'm sure he completely flipped a bitch and ran into the bathroom." Hwoarang stated.

"Yeah," Steve sniffed. "He apologized and ran into the bathroom…I mean it was a total accident…guess I should've knocked."

"Don't know why he was so upset," Christie began with a mischievous raised eyebrow. "I mean, he had nothing to apologize for. Damn, that boy looked good…all toned and fit and…" Christie blushed then let out an airy laugh. "I think I need to be alone for a minute…excuse me." She said as she began to walk off.

"Whoa, slow down Miss Kitty." Julia said as she grabbed Christie's wrist and pulled her back down in her seat.

"Can we please stop talking about what happened last night? I mean, it's like you're talking about my brother!" Xiao complained.

"I second that," Jin said, calmly sipping his coffee. "But while we're talking about Jamie, has anyone seen him this morning?"

"Well, I dunno. Lemme see 'ere," Steve glanced at his watch. "Its 10:30 in the morning, he doesn't normally get up until at least 6 at night…man, he always comes home so late, and he always looks like he gets in these 'orrible rough-n-tumbles…I mean last night he smelled bloody awful…li'erally like the Thames river!" Steve said.

"Be nice!" Christie exclaimed.

"I mean, what's up with our li'l Jamie? He's like a super hero or sumthin'?" Steve asked chuckling.

No one returned Steve's laughter…in fact; everyone looked around uncomfortably at eachother.

"Oh you can't be serious…" Steve murmured.

"Well, let's just say there's a lot you guys don't know about him." Hwoarang said.

The next fifteen minutes were devoted to filling Steve and Christie in on what Jamie was, and how he had been out every night patrolling the city and preventing nasties from preying on the civilians of Tokyo, and the competitors of the King of Iron Fist Tournament. They also explained the key demons in this tournament: the vampire Lee Chaolon, and Kazuya/Devil and his demon hordes.

"Well, that explains everything then." Steve marveled.

"It usually does." Julia stated sarcastically, her eyes never glancing up from her laptop.

"Whatcha lookin' at Jules?" Xiaoyu asked curiously.

"It's a disk that Lee left behind when Jamie dusted him. He asked me to look into it yesterday, and it's pretty…well, interesting…" Julia explained.

"What's on it?" Hwoarang asked.

"Well, for one, it's incredibly detailed. I've only managed to hack through about two of the thirty files contained on it. So far, I've unlocked part of Lee's log, and his formula for Combots…apparently, Lee turned himself into a vampire by capturing one of them, and drinking its blood,"

"Eeeewwww." Christie winced in disgust.

"Anyway, he wanted to try and breed a super soldier for his brother, but as we all know now, vamps have a really bad allergic reaction to the sun…so, he looked into finding a way for vampires to move into the sunlight…he found out that by completely draining a Nephilim's blood who's 'hair is the color of the sun' would allow him to move around in the sun."

"So that would explain why my uncle would've drugged Jamie." Jin mused.

"Another thing that is starting to bother me is this reference to something called; 'Project: Ascending Angel…I…I haven't been able to break through the firewalls yet, but given enough time…and lots of coffee, I should be able to break it relatively soon." Julia explained.

"We need to keep at it, but maybe we should find Jamie and let him know what's going on." Xiaoyu suggested.

"Isn't that him over there?" Steve asked.

He pointed to where the lobby was located. Jamie Parker sat in one of the comfortable wing chairs. He wore a huge, baggy, green and black hoodie with thumbholes cut in the fabric. His hair was tied back in a tight bun, and he had his reading glasses on. He also wore a pair of comfortable, black, knee length basketball shorts. A cheap, paperback novel lay in his lap. Jamie was curled up next to a roaring fire sound asleep. He looked so peaceful and so serene that no one had the heart to wake him.

"Let's just leave 'im alone for a bit." Steve suggested.

"Yeah, he's beat." Hwoarang agreed.

"He looks so peaceful." Xiao marveled.

Quietly, the four walked upstairs, leaving Jamie to enjoy his well deserved rest.

"I still can't believe you got me going to the mall!" Hwoarang grumbled.

"Well, what else is there to do on a Sunday?" Christie argued.

"I dunno, it's TOKYO!!!! I mean there's plenty to do!" Hwoarang explained.

"Like what?" Jin asked simply.

"Well…we could…um…shut the fuck up Kazama!" Hwoarang snapped.

"Julia? Are you ready yet?" Xiao sighed.

"Almost!" Julia cried.

She emerged from her room wearing a pair jeans and a fitted hooded sweatshirt.

"Does this make me look fat?" She asked.

"For the last time no! Now let's go!" Christie exclaimed.

The group walked down the hall before Steve groaned.

"Forgot me wallet mates! Wait 'ere!"

Everyone groaned, but decided to follow him into his room. The competitors in the tournament all added personal touches to their rooms…but none looked as strange nor clashed quite like Steve and Jamie's. On Steve's side, he had hung up a huge British flag, liquor bottles, and clothes lay strewn about. On the dresser Steve had an Mp3 player, several necklaces, and empty Jameson bottles. Jamie's side was equally messy. CDs were spilling out of their case, and a beat up old CD player lay on the desk. Clothes spilled out of his suitcases, and several pieces of jewelry lay in disarray on the windowsill; a leather bracelet, several sweatbands, black and red hair ties, etc. On his desk were his laptop, several books, and a gameboy advance. Beneath his desk was a battered and well used skateboard. Above his wall was a bulletin board filled with pictures, a collage, and a poster of Angelina Jolie in her Tomb Raider clothes.

Xiaoyu wasn't a nosy person, but she casually walked over to Jamie's side of his room, sat on his bed, and looked at the pictures. They indeed seemed to chronicle his life. The first row showed him as a toddler in cute corduroy overalls. Jamie was an adorable, chubby baby with big blue eyes, and almost white blond hair. In several pictures, he was being held by a young boy with the same color blond hair in a bowl cut.

_This must be his older brother...Justin, I think his name was…_

One picture showed a teenage Justin standing with a young Jamie, and two adults in a living room. The woman, looked like a typical, Southern California beach bunny, and the man looked as strong as an ox with closely cropped hair and huge glasses. He wore a Navy suit. Xiao remembered that Jamie had told her that his father was in the Navy.

The next several pictures showed a thirteen year old Jamie, with shaggy blonde hair that just covered his ears. He had braces, and slight acne. He was standing with a group of other kids his age at what looked like a parking lot by a mall. Jamie was skinny as a rail, and wore incredibly baggy skater clothes. Another boy stood with him, wearing all black, and kept his hair in the bowl cut fashion…all the kids in the pic had their skateboards at the ready.

Yet another picture showed the two boys Monopoly in someone's kitchen late at night without their shirts on. Another photo showed Jamie, the boy, and a brown haired, tom boyish, yet pretty looking girl standing in front of a high school. The sign read: Beach Cove High Welcomes the Class of 2004!!! The three new freshmen held new books in their hands. Xiao glanced with amusement at the photos. Another showed Jamie with Tony Hawk, Rob Drydek, his brother, Justin, and Bam Margera…it looked like it was taken at some skating competition…they all had their pads, helments, and boards. One picture made her laugh, it showed Jamie just rolling out of bed, squinty eyes, and grimacing at the camera. He promptly gave the finger to whoever the photographer was.

Xiao stared at Jamie's life through pictures…and sadly, she could tell when Jamie had become the latest Nephilim. She could tell by his facial expressions. True, he smiled, but there was a slight hardness in his eyes, some sort of knowledge, and wisdom behind those icy orbs. It looked as though he had to grow up way too fast.

More pictures showed Jamie teaching Karate classes with an attractive Korean girl with red streaks in her hair. The two seemed friendly…helping out with some of the children…she was in several more of the pictures.

Fortunately, she could also see when he had come to terms with what he was, and although it was difficult, manage to juggle a social life with his Nephilim responsibilities. He would smile like he used to, but he looked more adult, and mature. The boy and the girl in the pictures must have been the friends who helped him face the forces of darkness. Xiao wanted to meet them one day…one day she wanted to see the gorgeous beaches and swaying palm trees of Jamie's hometown. Her eyes settled on two photographs…one was of Jamie sitting in a pair of board shorts on the beach, leaning against a well used surfboard. It looked like it was taken recently. His brother Justin sat with him. He wore a baggy, black t-shirt, a pair of raggedy, knee length board shorts, and a backwards trucker hat. Both brothers were smiling, and had their arms around eachother.

Justin looked like an older version of Jamie; he had a waif looking frame (typical build of any pro skater) narrow green eyes to contrast Jamie's big blue ones, a blonde patch of facial hair on his chin, and shaggy hair of the same color.

The second picture showed the two brothers in front of what appeared to be their house. It showed Jamie trying to do a trick on his board, and Justin glancing up to watch with a proud look on his face. Justin only meant to look up discreetly, and then go back to fixing his board which lay on his lap…but the camera caught the moment. Jamie's friends sat on the lawn in the middle of tossing a football around. The Korean girl was chatting with the tom boy girl.

"Earth to Ling!" Hwoarang called.

Christie snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"What?!" She asked breathlessly.

"You were out of it for awhile Ling. You were staring at Jamie's pictures." Jin stated.

"Yeah, you were out for a good five minutes. What's so interestin' 'bout 'em?" Steve asked.

"Nothing…I was just looking at them…and I had an idea…" Xiao began.

"Really? What?" Julia asked.

"Well, y'know how he's saved our lives and stuff? Well, I thought it might be nice to repay him. I mean…I can tell he's kinda homesick he won't admit it but he is… and I thought that maybe we could bring someone from his hometown here….y'know, so he won't get too lonely."

"That's a really good idea Xiao. I mean, in our contracts it says that we can fly anyone we want out here!" Hwoarang exclaimed.

Everyone looked at him like he had two heads.

"What? Oh c'mon…on occasion there's more to me then being the tough, lovable, charmingly bad ass hottie! Don't tell me you people never read the fine print?"

"It can be a surprise for Jamie! How fun!" Christie exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"But who would we invite?" Jin asked.

"Yeah, I mean, Jamie's got a lot of friends." Julia continued.

At that moment, as if in answer to her question, Jamie's cellphone began to ring. Everyone looked at Xiao, afterall, she thought of the idea, she should pick up the phone. The caller I.D. on the front of the phone read: Justin calling.

It was as if it was a sign from God who to invite…quickly, Xiao answered the phone on the third ring.

"Hello?" She asked into the receiver.

Author's Note: So, whattya think? A little well placed humor never hurt anyone…okay, but don't worry, I'll be back with the decapitation and demon slaughter next chappie! This isn't gonna be some mushy sensitive story!!! Anyway, Jamie won't hear about his special surprise until a couple chappies down the road!! Shhh don't spoil it for him!!!...I've been in the coffee again, I'm sorry…Oh, and in case you're curious, Jamie, Justin, and the friends in the pics are all my OC's (Original Characters…I know you probably knew what that meant, but I'm an idiot, and didn't get it until like, two days ago) if you're interested, I'll email an original Jamie fic to you…but anyway, hope you liked the chappie…read and review por favor!!! I'm starved for attention!!! I NEED REVIEWS TO LIVE!!!!!!!!! Anyway, it was so nice to have this little visit with y'all…please click the little purple box to the lower left of the page and write me a lil' sumin sumin…


	21. Chapter 20: Lethe Dreams

Author's Note: Hey again! I know that I'm usually insane, and wind up filling a paragraph with my author's notes…but I don't have much to say this time around…Oh, except that I highly appreciate everyone's support and reviews. Oh, and I want to especially thank my latest reviewer krappkarmin…I appreciate what you wrote, and I'm sorry that I didn't do the right pairing of Steve…to be perfectly honest I never thought much about Miharu, but she's pretty cool. I also always saw the whole Christie and Eddy relationship more as a brother/sister/good friends dealie…but that's just me. But thanks for your compliments, and critiques (thanks for keeping it friendly) and please don't let that deter you from reviewing still! Oh, and to everyone…PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!! (Hey, I filled up a paragraph this time like normal!)

_Home._

_As Jamie opens his eyes his senses are suffused by the atmosphere of home that surrounds him. Skater, punk rock( on the monster home entertainment center that Justin couldn't seem to do without) floats up to him along with the scent of something cooking._

Barbeque…_he thinks._

_Or not thinks exactly, so much as registers, 'cause thinking would require way to much effort. Sunday then, with barbeque and skater punk music. Could it really be the afternoon? Justin Parker wasn't much of a cook, but he was excellent around a grill. His ribs and steaks were to die for, and he rarely barbequed unless he was expecting company…True, Jamie could hear laughter, and dozens of voices from his backyard…but he didn't want to leave his bed._

_Warm, warm, delightful bed…_

_The sheets smell fresh and clean and he burrows a little deeper under them, enjoying the feeling of the cotton against the side of his face. A strand of his hair is across his face and it tickles his nose so that he must blow it away with a puff of breath._

_It's bliss, really, but somehow he cannot slip back into unconsciousness. Sleep has fled now and though he is warm and content, his mind has begun the day already without his cooperation. A lazy grin steals across his face, and lazily, he opens his eyes._

_Jamie's room has a sliding glass door that opens onto a small porch, and looks out to the backyard, and the ocean beyond…and he sees the smoke from the grill curling up towards the too bright sky. It is bright outside, but strangely, he feels no breeze._

_Jamie realizes that his alarm clock has numbers on it, but he can't read them. He blinks several times, convinced that it must be late morning, or early afternoon because of the barbequing and the party outside…skaters don't typically come to events early, as they are sleeping, and/or hung over from the previous night._

_Suddenly, Jamie's vision seems to clear-though there wasn't anything wrong with it before-and the numbers on the alarm clock read "12:00". _

Power's out, _Jamie thinks. But he knows it can't be, because then where is the music coming from?_

_His bliss ripples like the wind across the surface of a pond. With a sigh, he gets up from his bed and walks over to the sliding glass doors. Vaguely aware that he is only wearing a pair of knee length basketball shorts, he walks outside anyway. The glass doors open, and he leans against the black, metal rail of his deck, like a king surveying his kingdom._

_Everyone is here._

_Pro skaters, distant family members, his friends who helped him with Nephilim duties, Robbie, Maureen, and Mina…even his friends from the Tournament. Justin holds a beer in one hand, and watches the grill. Everyone shouts and waves at Jamie…who smiles and waves back._

_These are his friends. This would probably be one of the best parties he'd ever been to…so why did he suddenly get a sense of foreboding._

_At the crowds' reaction, Justin Parker turned, and waved at his brother. Smiling, Jamie walked down the narrow, winding staircase from his balcony and down towards the crowd._

"_You're finally up!" Justin exclaimed with gentle mocking. "The sound of BBQ luring you outta bed huh" Justin embraced Jamie with a "guy hug"_

_He seemed exuberant…what was the occasion?_

"_What's going on Jus, all these people? It's like everyone we've ever known?" Jamie asked._

"_Big things are starting to happen lil' brother." Justin said._

"_Wait…this isn't real is it Justin…I'm not home, I'm in Tokyo, and you're on tour…I'm in the fighting tournament…how did-" Jamie began before Justin cut him off._

"_Yup, big things're happenin'." He said in somewhat of a singsong voice._

"_Justin…what's going on?"_

"_It's kind of like a farewell party for you Jamie. We wouldn't wanna miss it!" Hwoarang exclaimed._

"_Farewell party…I'm not going anywhere." Jamie said._

"_I just figgered out what you were Jamie. I'd've loved to 'elp ya, but it looks like it's too late for both you, and your brother." Steve explained._

_The wind started to pick up…and suddenly, storm clouds began to gather._

"_Justin…what's-" Jamie didn't finish before Justin turned, and glared at Jamie with a hateful, spiteful stare._

"_No matter what you try to do, you can't stop them from killing me!" He glared angrily at Jamie, and shoved him roughly. "All tricked out with your fancy powers, and you let him figure out you're one weakness. It doesn't matter how hard you try Jamie, they'll-"_

_He didn't finish before the vampire leapt on him, and went for the jugular…the vampire looked familiar with its white hair._

"_JUSTIN!!!!! NO!!!!!!" Jamie shouted._

_He moved to pull Lee off of his brother, but found a strong hand grabbing his shoulder. The hand turned him around…it was Kazuya!_

"_American Nephilim…" He said with a smile._

_Jamie's eyes were wide with fear…he tried to struggle and get out, but he couldn't…Justin's cries for help began to bore a hole into Jamie's skull._

"_What? No witty banter? Y'know I've been saving up so much nostalgia from our last visit, and I must say that I'm crushed…oh well…" With that Kazuya morphed into a purple demon with huge, bat like wings._

_He turned the Nephilim around again to witness his brother Justin's final seconds of living. Vampires, on occasion, could be very savage with their kills, and Lee spared no expense. In an instant, Lee's blood stained mouth burrowed into Justin's mangled neck…and ripped out something red…his jugular. _

_Justin Parker's blood spilled everywhere in a crimson shower…on Jamie's face, in his hair…Finally, Kazuya laughed, and twisted the Nephilim's neck…hard…Jamie heard the sharp crack, and actually could see for several seconds Devil's face, as he grinned exuberantly._

_Then, mercifully, everything faded to black…_

Jamie Parker awoke with a jolt, and a terrible scream. Suddenly, the room came into focus. The lobby…the nice, safe, lobby...

_It was a dream…it was only dreams…take a deep breath and relax Jamie…_

His breath came out in ragged pants, and his clothes were drenched in sweat…sure, it was only a dream, but if felt so real…what had happened? What was Justin saying about him letting Kazuya kill him…what just went down? Sighing, Jamie decided he needed to get upstairs and call his brother. Just to check in, and see if everything was alright…then he'd go to the gym to blow off some tension…and maybe, while he was at it, force the puzzle pieces of his dream together…

Author's Note: Look, I know this was a short, and slightly disturbing chappie…but in order for the story to flow a bit better, I needed to break the dream, and Jamie's training session into two chappies. Please don't hate me for it! Cuz I love you all!! Anyway, please review…I luv's my reviews!!!!!!


	22. Chapter 21: Scent of a Woman

Author's Note: Ohhhhwwwwwuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh sweet ASS!!!!!!!!! I've got a whole four pages of reviews!!!! Thank you so much for everyone's support!!! Especially Chlover Goddess (Hell, you could have a leprechaun banging an elephant, and a Fairy murdering Santa Claus) OMG THAT WAS HILARIOUS!!!!! I'd also like to thank element6, shadowsin, and krappkarmin, and everyone else who took the time to review my lil' ol' brainchild…LOL!!! Anyways, please keep reviewing!!!! I luvs me some reviews!!!!

The gym at the Mishima Hotel was located on the top floor. It was so vast and expansive that it literally took up a floor. It boasted state of the art equipment, a swimming pool, steam rooms, weapons to practice with…and, should one require it; on hand personal trainers who were on call 24 hours a day. No one was in the gym tonight.

Jamie Parker was alone. And he liked it that way.

_All the better to go full on with my Nephilim powers my dear…_

He stood in front of the punching bag, punching and kicking at it with full Nephilim strength and speed. Sweat stung his eyes, and soaked through his white tank top. The hair that had been pulled loose from its ponytail had been dyed black…slick with sweat. Jamie would never admit it, but tears began to spill from his eyes as vestigial images of his dream harangued him with startling clarity.

The dream… Justin…what could it all mean? Jamie wanted to believe that it was all gibberish…he wanted to believe that it was like his dreams of purple, Shakespeare quoting, razor scooter riding, raptors…but he knew that it wasn't the case…something big was happening, or going to happen, and Jamie could do nothing but prepare to the best of his ability for it.

He had called Justin several hours before to check up on him. He, of course, was doing fine, but seemed somewhat evasive for some reason…Jamie didn't know why, nor did he care, as long as his brother was alive and well. Could Kazuya know about Justin? And if so how? Jamie was very careful from day one to make sure that Kazuya knew as little of his personal life as possible…of course, Jamie hadn't counted on Kazuya knowing ahead of time that he was the Nephilim.

Thinking about Kazuya, and his cruel smirk made a rage inside him bubble up. Through gritted teeth, Jamie screamed and unleashed a final punch. The punching bag snapped flew off its chain, and broke a window…shattering into millions of pieces as the bag fell into the all consuming darkness of night.

_I swear to fucking God Kazuya Mishima, if you lay a hand on my brother, or any of my friends, I will slaughter you so slowly that you will actually beg for me to stop._

Suddenly, clapping could be heard echoing through the gym. Quickly, the Nephilim turned around, and looked to the source of the noise.

An achingly gorgeous woman in a crimson colored dress stepped out of the shadows; she wore matching gloves and stilettos. Oddly enough, she didn't look that much older then Jamie himself, but she possessed an air of class and sophistication that made her seem older then she actually was. She had short, brown hair, cut in a trendy style, and a provocative slit in her dress.

Jamie also noticed that she was armed…several small, finger length, throwing daggers were tucked securely in her garter belt.

"Quite an impressive display of power…" The woman murmured in a voice dripping with lust.

"Um…thanks…" Jamie said stretching his arms and popping his neck. "But, I'm really not in the mood, so why we just cut to the chase, and tell me what you want?"

"Fair enough," The woman chuckled. "I know what you are, and I know what you're capable off."

"Everyone seems too." Jamie retorted.

"Well, you haven't exactly been keeping it a secret. Anyway, as you so adequately put it, I will cut to the chase. My name is Anna Williams, and I have a proposition for you…" The sexy vixen stated.

An hour later, Jamie and Anna were walking the streets of Tokyo, heading towards an area known affectionately to the locals as "Docktown". As its name implied, it was right on the peer of Tokyo. It was home to fisherman, warehouses, and seedy people. Had Jamie not been a Nephilim, it would be somewhere that he would never, under any circumstances visit. A public embarrassment really, Tokyo was a glittering city, known world over for its innovative technology, and endless arrays of things to do; and Docktown was like an ugly welt on the fair city…however, since the Japanese diet primarily consisted of fish, they had to have it.

Anna led the way, and Jamie followed her. He had since changed into a red long sleeve shirt, and over that, a t-shirt with Mr. Rogers on it. The caption read: You are Special! Jamie also wore a pair of baggy jeans, and a fitted, denim jacket lined with lamb's fur. He offered his jacket to Anna, but she declined. The mysterious woman still wore her wine colored dress and heels. She moved with a certain grace that Jamie was captivated by, and yet, she seemed as comfortable in her ensemble as if she was wearing a pair of sweatpants and sneakers.

"Dr. Abel was Heihachi Mishima's right hand man, but when Heihachi died and Kazuya took over, Abel switched loyalties over to Kazuya, who had been possessed by the Devil inside him…as he is now." Anna explained.

"And what does this doctor want anyway?" Jamie asked.

"It's not Abel, it's Kazuya…I've heard that a ship's coming in with a cargo of occult items…items that Kazuya wants. He's sending Abel, and his vampire henchmen down to the shipping yard tonight to get them. You need to be there to make sure that doesn't happen." Anna explained.

"Wait…how do you know all of this? You're not in the tournament…what's your story?" Jamie inquired.

"I know about Kazuya and his demonic persuasion because I've been in the King of Iron Fist Tournament before," Anna lowered her gaze. "Nina Williams…she's my sister, and she's working for Kazuya. Last night, I heard her talking on the phone…she's, gonna be there tonight." Anna said, her voice quaking a little.

Anna led Jamie down several back alleys...and by the time Jamie noticed that he was walking further away from Docktown it was far too late.

"This is a quicker way, I promise." She said when Jamie questioned her.

Suddenly, Jamie found himself at a dead end. Several burning oil drums lit up the night sky…anda small army of vampiresstood in the alley, all grinning lecherously at Jamie…as if he was a deer that had just been led into a pack of wolves…

"Anna…what's going-" Jamie began.

He didn't finish before Anna's laugh cut through the night.

"Silly little Nephilim…you're so self righteous it's sickening. Like a moth to the flame, I knew you'd come, now… prepare to die!" Anna proclaimed as the fangs slid down.

Jamie uttered a colorful obscenity as he began to realize his fate. Slowly, the vamps began to advance on him, but Jamie wouldn't let them have the satisfaction of getting his blood.

He quickly leapt into action and began punching and kicking at the vampires. Several disintegrated into azure flames after Jamie sliced their heads off with his miniature axe.

_Three down…that's pretty good except in those fun, life or death scenarios..._

Jamie flung his ax at Anna, but she caught it just before it tore through her neck. Quick as lightning, the sexy temptress flung the axe back at Jamie. At the last second, he dropped too his knees, and bent backwards until his spine touched the concrete. Jamie was double jointed before he became the Nephilim, so this tactic looked cumbersome…but Jamie could definantly handle it.

_Hey, kinda like that rapper Ciara does…_

The ax cut through a female vampire's forehead…mashing her face into a fine paste of splintered bone, oozing brain, and bloody flesh. Fortunately, Jamie didn't have to look at the macabre form for too long before it exploded into purified flames.

While the Nephilim was on the ground, another vampire tried to ax kick Jamie's face. At the last second Jamie grabbed his boot and flipped him…the demon landed in an oil drum…bursting into red flames before imploding into blue ones.

"If only there'd been just one more of you." Jamie quipped with mock sympathy to a vampire that he had managed to decapitate.

Jamie turned to Anna and grinned. "Word of advice sweetie; if you're gonna ambush someone, make sure they DON'T have super powers!" He finished as he hook kicked an attacking vampire…lopping its head off with the powerful snap of his kick. Suddenly, Jamie felt like he was being grabbed from behind.

"Gonna trample you little boy!" A low, gravely voice shouted.

The voice belonged to a vampire, who had obviously been a bodybuilder when he was alive. Before Jamie could fight him, he picked the Nephilim up, and held him high over his head. Jamie struggled, but couldn't break free of the monster's iron grip. In his horror, the Nephilim noticed that the vampire had his knee out…he intended to break Jamie's back!!! Nephilim strength healing or not, there was no way in hell that he could live through that!

Jamie struggled again, but it proved to be ultimately futile…but at the last second, he felt the vampire's grip give way…in fact, he felt everything give way as he plummeted to the ground. As Jamie began to get up, he thought he saw…a fist through the vampire's chest…where the heart belonged.

"Aw gee-" The vamp said stupidly before imploding in the holy fires.

That's when Jamie noticed Steve's face through the embers.

"Whoa…that was cool." He said with a smile. He offered Jamie his hand. "Oi, lemme help you boss!"

The Nephilim greatly accepted the offer, and as he glanced up, he saw Christie and Julia taking on a female vampire, Hwoarang taking on three males, Jin taking on one clad in ninja's garb, Xiao duking it out with another vampire girl who had pink hair tied in pigtails.

"Alright hon, I started the pigtail thing before it was cool," Xiao began, before gracefully flipping the vampire into the burning drum. "You're just an annoying poseur!"

Jamie couldn't believe it! Xiao actually punned! She glanced over at Jamie and smiled.

"That was pretty neat! How're my sarcastic quips?"

"There awesome! I-" Jamie began before he got tackled by a male vampire.

"Ooooohhhhhhwwwwwwwuuuuuuuhhhhh," He yelled annoyedly, before flipping the monster off of him. He landed on an exposed pipe…impaled. In his stunned state, Jamie grabbed his ax.

"Hold still, I'm just gonna take a little off the top." He murmured before slicing the creature's head off.

"Mum, look out!" Steve was heard shouting.

Jamie turned in surprise to see a blonde haired woman engaged in some furious hand-to-hand combat with Anna.

"Mom?!" Jamie asked, stunned.

Quickly, Nina unsheathed a dagger, and chopped Anna's head off…she exploded in ethereal flames. Once Anna was killed, her vampire army was no more…

"Nina, I'm sorry…" Christie said sympathetically.

"It doesn't matter, it wasn't her anyway…" She said in a harsh, icy voice. Her sapphire eyes glanced at Jamie. "You're the Nephilim right? You kill demons? Good, We've gotta get to the docks fast. Kazuya's expecting a shipment, and we have to beat him to it!"

"Right." Jamie stated, all business.

Quickly, the group ran towards Nina's car, and peeled out of the alley, and towards the docks.

Author's Note: Alright, I'm sorry these chappie's are so short, but I'm right in the middle of some serious writer's block, but I wanted to crank out another chappie before this week is over…please forgive me for my meager offering…anyway, it's strange, I like, know what I want to do towards the end, but now I'm like in the middle of the story, and it's kinda complicated I know…but if anyone has any advice please let me know! Once again, don't hate me…I'm having some writing issues right now, and I'm sorry…believe me, this story will get plenty better though! Please read and review and thankers for everyone's support.


	23. Chapter 22: Confrontation

Author's Note: Thanks for everyone's nice reviews…and as for shadowsonic137…well, for everyone else, I apologize for the harsh way I dealt with him…but I got really annoyed. I guess I didn't handle my first "flame" very well, and for that I apologize…I mean, I thought that writing was all about using your imagination…and, I really hope that I haven't "fucked up the whole Tekken plot" and if I have then I'm very sorry…I just thought it'd be an interesting take on an already wonderful story. Anyway, I'm so happy for those who have been kind enough to write me nice, friendly, critiques (not blatant criticisms) okay, I'll shut up now...

Jamie Parker walked through the suffocating darkness of the warehouse's corridor. His enhanced vision adjusted to the gloom with little no complaints. The shipping yard was huge and housed several, large warehouses. Nina thought that it might be best if everyone split up, that way they could cut the time in half.

And they were running desperately short on time.

Jamie had a headset on, as did the others. Nina had supplied them, and Jamie felt for a moment like he was in a 007 movie or something. This way, everyone could keep in contact, with each other as they were scattered throughout the shipping yard.

Hwoarang and Steve were placed in the same warehouse as Jamie was. Xiao, Jin, and Nina were in another. To minimize the searching, Julia had managed to get into the control room and hack through some of the harbormaster's files. Apparently, the occult cargo was being stored in two warehouses…the same ones that Jamie, Nina and the others were investigating.

Christie was in the control room with Julia. Protecting the Native American computer genius if anything tried to attack her…although that was just a title to make sure that Christie didn't get in the way. She meant well, and Jamie thought she was an awesome friend, but right now, Jamie thought for sure that Christie was sitting on a table with one leg draped over the other, doing her nails.

So far, the warehouses were lightly guarded. Jamie had only encountered about five vamps in the hour and a half since he had been wondering around. The boxes that they had searched did have occult items in them…but they were all herbs, candles, and the like. The candles were used for ambience during rituals, and the herbs in the boxes were used for menial spells; fire into ice, truth spells, and the like.

"So, you mean to tell me that none of this stuff is what we're looking for?" Hwoarang said through the radio chatter.

"Well, they are occult items, but this stuff isn't used for anything remotely dangerous." Jamie replied.

"So…what then? Is this just gonna be a big bust?" Steve asked.

"I have this feeling that maybe all these other items are here to just throw us off. Dr. Abel might have ordered all of this useless junk to keep us from seeing the truth…to keep us from getting to the real items that fathe- I mean Kazuya wants." Jin observed.

"That's a good point." Nina complimented.

"So, how do we know where the right stuff is?" Xiaoyu asked.

"Hm…wait a minute…I'm detecting a lot of movement in your warehouse Jamie. There's a lot of vamp activity towards the back…right around where the water is…why don't you guys check there?" Julia suggested.

"Got it!" Jamie quipped.

"Thanks Jules!" Hwoarang called.

"Back o' the warehouse it is then!" Steve exclaimed merrily.

The direct route to the back of the warehouse was blocked off with debris. Jamie, Hwoarang, and Steve had to take a side route via the docks. By traversing the waterfront, they would not only meet up with Nina, Jin, and Xiao, but get into the back of the warehouse…and to the proverbial motherload of occult goodies that Kazuya had stockpiled.

Jamie shivered in the cold, and began to ponder on exactly what Kazuya wanted so badly. Jamie's knowledge of the occult was limited at best. Nephilim training required an expert knowledge in self defense, and a well rounded comprehension of demonology, and magic.

Well, on the bright side, Jamie was a helluva fighter.

As he walked down the docks, his sneakers clonked heavily on the wood; in the stillness of the night, Jamie worried that the noise would give him away…but the night was still.

It was quiet…much too quiet.

"Jamie!" Hwoarang's voice cut through the twilight.

Quickly, Jamie turned and ran towards his friend. The red haired Korean held several obsidian objects in his hand. Steve stood with Hwoarang looking at the strange things in his hand.

"Been picking these up for awhile now, and they look like they're either decorative black ashtrays,"

"Or industrial sized guitar picks!" Steve interrupted.

"Hm," Jamie looked down to investigate them. Gingerly, he picked one of them up, and shuddered slightly at how…slimy they felt. Still, the texture did feel somewhat familiar to Jamie…almost identically like fish scales… "They could be scales…from a fish?" Jamie suggested.

"I don't think a normal fish would leave behind scales like these!" Hwoarang argued.

"Then I guess they're from some demonic jumbo shrimp or something." Jamie replied.

"You're kidding right?" Steve asked with a nervous chuckle.

"I never joke about demonic seafood," Jamie began.

He meant for the comment to be taken as one of his trademark sarcastic quips…but, as if right on cue, a rumbling could be heard below the planks. Suddenly, the planks below him exploded. Jamie promptly fell on his butt several inches from the ragged hole that was the remnants of this particular section of the waterfront.

"Jamie!" Hwoarang and Steve called.

Quickly, they helped Jamie up…and stared at their latest obstacle. It looked somewhat like a tiger…only with scales, and two strange tendrils protruding from its back.

"See? This is why I never joke about demonic seafood…" Jamie whispered.

Quick as lightning, the creature attacked by lashing its tendrils at the trio; Steve and Hwoarang dodged the attack, but Jamie got smacked full on in the face. He groaned in agony as he spun through the air, and landed several feet away. The creature let out an ear piercing screech and leapt across the gaping hole it created.

"Jamie! Are you okay?" Hwoarang asked.

Jamie groaned as he stood up. A huge gash had been streaked across his forehead.

"I'll be fine! Nephilim healing remember? I'm going after it! I'll meet you guys in the warehouse!"

With Nephilim speed, he ran after the creature, and cleared the gap that the demon had created…leaving Steve and Hwoarang to find another way into the cargo bay…

The creature left a trail of scales, and echoing howls through the night sky.

_Kinda like breadcrumbs…gross, disgusting, disturbing breadcrumbs…_

The wound on Jamie's face stung…but he couldn't let it get him down. Already, it had begun to heal…the only problem he had was when the blood would drip into his eyes…but the blood had begun to coagulate so that was no longer a problem. Jamie tracked the creature onto the roof of the warehouse. By using his momentum, Jamie managed to get to the roof by hopping across stacks of boxes.

The roof of the building was huge, with a skylight in the middle…but more importantly, that nasty demon was here…and he began to rush at Jamie.

This time though, the Nephilim was ready for it.

The demon lashed it's tendrils out at Jamie, and the Nephilim dodged them. A well placed side kick to the temple stunned the beast. In its stunned form, Jamie quickly hacked off its tendrils…copious amounts of green blood gushed from its wounds in a kind of macabre fountain.

Spinning angrily, the beast lashed its claws at Jamie. The Nephilim dodged the attack, and landed on his knees. Quickly, he hacked at its feet and severed one of its legs. He rolled out of the way before the creature landed on him.

"You're move stumpy!" Jamie called.

Angrily, the demon howled in agony as he collapsed from loss of blood.

"Well, that was very anti-climactic…wonder what's going down under the skylight?" Jamie wondered.

He looked down below, and saw Jin, Nina, Xiao, and Hwoarang engaged in a fierce battle with about ten strong looking vampires.

"Uh-oh…looks like that's my cue!" Jamie murmured as he jumped through the glass, and landed on top of an incredibly heavy crate.

"Jamie! Cut the rope!!" Nina called, before a vampire decked her in the face.

Quick as lightning, he took his ax and hacked the ropes. The box fell with a huge, ear splitting crash…abruptly ending the lives of half of the vampire guard. Not wasting anymore time, Jamie leapt down into the fray with the remaining vamps. Swords and various other weapons were brandished and used…but finally, the room erupted into the cerulean fires of vanquished vamps.

"Alright, I'm cross checking the inventory, and Christie's watching the cameras," Julia began…her voice cutting through their headsets. "That big box that's being held up by that crane? It has several important artifacts in it; something called the Seal of Metatron? Another called the Sovereign's Edge, and several rubies known collectively as _The Vie de Angelus_."

Everyone looked expectedly at Jamie…who shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, all this stuff is news to me too. But they must do something cool since Kazuya wanted 'em so badly…all we've gotta do is lower the crane."

"Already two steps ahead of ya!" A distinctly British voice called.

"Steve!" Everyone shouted.

He smiled down at the group from inside the crane.

"Hey look! I'm crane-operator man…always wanted to sumthin' like this when I was a li'l nipper." He said as he cracked his knuckles.

Jamie and Xiao grinned to each other when they noticed the glacial Nina quickly smirk at her son's comment.

"Okay crane-operator man, can we get the fuckin' crate down so we can leave?!" Hwoarang called crossly.

"Alright, alright! Hang on a sec!" Steve exclaimed.

Steve fumbled with the controls, but finally found the right one. As he gingerly lowered the box, and moved it slightly to the left…a vampire leapt out of nowhere and attacked him.

"STEVE!!" Nina shouted.

Immediately, Jamie ran towards the crane to stop the vamp…but completely forgot about the box that was swinging at a rapid pace in his direction! The box slammed into Jamie's side, and broke through a door. The result would've crippled a normal person…but fortunately, Jamie wasn't normal. However, this predicament posed another problem…with the box blocking his only exit, Jamie was temporarily trapped.

He could hear signs of a scuffle beyond, and the kind of poof sound a vampire makes when it explodes into flames. He also heard Steve proclaim.

"That's it! No more crane operator man for me! I'm callin' me Union rep."

Under more pleasant circumstances, Jamie would've laughed at the comment…but this was far from pleasant. The area he was in had a conveyor belt that he remembered ran out to the room where his friends were…but the belt was off. He'd have to turn the power on, but first, he wanted to open the box and grab the artifacts. The crate was heavy, but a few placed kicks should splinter the wood enough to create a small enough hole for the Nephilim to crawl in and grab the stuff.

Jamie only wished that it was that easy.

"Jamie?! You alright?" Xiao called.

"Yeah! I'm fine…there's a conveyor belt in here, I'll be with you guys in a sec…but first, I wanna get this stuff outta the-"

Jamie didn't finish before the crate's side exploded in a shower of dust and splinters. The force caused Jamie to fly through the air and smack his head hard against the wall. Slowly, the Nephilim coughed as he stood up, and looked towards the crate. He blanched, and the color completely drained from his face.

The Devil from his dream stood in the box.

"No…" Jamie whispered.

"Oh yes. It is I American Nephilim." Devil said in a low, gravely, menacing voice that seemed to echo and carry several pitches at once.

Jamie had faced Kazuya before, and he had nearly died because of it…now he faced evil in its truest form.

"I suppose Anna Williams couldn't kill you either. I figured as much. I will admit that I had underestimated you a great deal. You've beaten back my vampire minions, my high priest, and even my brother." Devil began to advance on Jamie at an incredibly fast speed…still, Jamie began to back up.

His back bumped into something somewhat sharp, he turned, and found that it was the switch for the conveyor belt! Desperately, Jamie through the switch, and moved to jump onto the belt, but Devil was on him.

Quickly, the demon grabbed a handful of Jamie's hair and pulled. Jamie cried out in pain and agony as he heard a sound not unlike pulling Velcro. In one fluid motion, Devil flung Jamie across the room and into the crate. As the Nephilim flew through the air, he felt chunks of his hair and scalp give way.

They would heal in time…but for now…he was in utter agony.

Jamie hit the side of crate hard. Splinters of wood shattered everywhere…and as he slowly began to get up, he noticed five rubies glinting in the shadows...they were some of those artifacts that Julia spoke of! Quickly he pocketed them, along with what looked like a rusted pendent with runes displayed on it, and a rusted crucifix with a chain around it…these were the only artifacts in the box, and he hoped they were the right ones.

Devil roared furiously and ran at Jamie. The Nephilim ran too, but not to attack. Devil was way to strong for him to fight right now in the Nephilim's already weakened state. Right now, Jamie's top priority was to run. Escape. Get the hell out!

In desperation, Jamie shoved the embodiment of evil out of his way and started towards the conveyor belt…his friends shouts and screams could he heard on the other side. Jamie was almost to a point where he could leap through the small slot and towards freedom, but Devil only laughed.

Suddenly, his forehead slit open vertically, and a purple beam shot out and hit Jamie square in the back.

The pain was immense.

Jamie felt as if his insides were slowly being hacked apart by miniature swords…and his brain was being infested by fire ants. The attack stopped him dead in his tracks…and Devil took advantage of the situation. He grabbed the Nephilim, and with a mighty beat of his wings lifted the two of them in the air.

"Ah…I can smell you're fear…this is good, because when I steal your valiant, little warrior soul, you're fear will make me all the more powerful!"

Devil prepared to fire another laser blast at point blank…Jamie desperately looked around for any means of self defense…and found a sliver of wood stuck to the fabric of his jacket. Not wasting anytime, Jamie grabbed it, and jammed it into the strange "third eye" of Devil's.

It seemed to work, because the demon screamed in agony, and dropped Jamie. Wordlessly, Jamie leapt onto the conveyor belt and finally to blessed freedom…he and the others hurried out of the warehouses, and (with Julia and Christie in tow) managed to peel out of DockTown in twenty minutes.

However, Jamie knew that Devil was far from finished…

Author's Note: Okay, I rushed the end and I'm sorry. But it's like uber late here, and even though I only have one class tomorrow at 11:30, I'd still like to get some kind of semblance of sleep…since it's like 1:30 AM here…anyway, please read and review, no flames please…I think that my writer's block period is over HURRAH!!! At anyrate, once again, I apologize for my long ass rant about my first "flame" I know I handled it pretty badly but I guess everyone get's flames once in awhile so I guess I shouldn't let it bother me…afterall, it's like one, in over fifty reviews!! Anyway, much love to everyone, thanks for everyone's support. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!! If I can get 100 reviews by the time I finish this story that'd be super!!!!


	24. Chapter 23: Suprise!

Author's Note: Hello again! I'm back to dish out another chappie for Tekken 5: Angels and Demons!! Oh, and I wanna thank shadowsonic 137 for apologizing to me. It was super cool of you…anyway, enjoy the latest chappie…and please read and review!!!

_Three weeks later…_

Jamie Parker stared out at the wintry cityscape before him. The whole city of Tokyo was bathed in a powdery, white blanket of snow. The sky was steely gray in color, with matching clouds that were stuffed with flurries just aching to fall towards the ground. It was rather early, and normally, Jamie would never be up at this hour…particularly on his day off…but today was different.

Today was the day that the competitors reached out to their fans. Kazuya had arranged for a "Meet and Greet" at a local mall (the same one that some of the fights had taken place actually). Essentially, everyone would sit at a large table and field questions, and sign autographs.

Jamie thought that it was cool, but he had no idea on earth why people would come to see him out of all the other awesome fighters. He was even more shocked to find out that he had a fan base! Imagine? Jamie Parker? Having a fan base!!!

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, and a thick, swirling mass of steam poured out of it. Steve emerged from the mist wearing a towel, and dripping water all over the carpet.

"Hey," Steve said drowsily. "Shower's open if you need it." He punctuated the sentence by coughing.

"Thanks." Jamie said with a wistful grin.

Steve was exhausted; Jamie couldn't blame him. The two, along with Hwoarang and Jin, had been engaged in a pretty intense training session last night after patrol. Everyone left battered, bruised and sore, and hadn't gotten to bed until about 4 in the morning.

Jamie shut the door to the bathroom, and immediately felt the damp, humid air envelope him…as if he was in a steam room. The Nephilim turned the water on, pulled his clothes off, and stepped into the steady stream of water.

It felt wonderful on his sore back muscles…he let the relentless water pound on his aching spine until it felt wonderfully numb. As Jamie washed his hair, his mind began to drift on the past three weeks…about Kazuya, Lee's mysterious disk, and the strange artifacts that he had procured from Docktown.

Three weeks ago today, Jamie Parker and his friends had gone on a retrieval mission to procure several occult artifacts. During this raid, Jamie was nearly killed (again) by Kazuya…only this time, he had transformed into Devil…the thing that had brought Jamie into this tournament in the first place; the thing that he was to destroy. In the ensuing raid, Jamie barely escaped with his life after he had severely wounded Devil.

He left the warehouse bloodied, broken, and missing chunks of his hair. However, Jamie knew that Devil was far from finished with him. Over the next few days, the Nephilim had prepared himself for the absolute worst. The ultimate wrath of the evil Hellspawn…but it never came. Even though he patrolled, Jamie found little, to no supernatural activity going on around town.

True, he did come across random vampire encounters, but nothing to the extent of what he had faced before.

So Jamie and the others waited for Kazuya's next attack. Soon hours turned into days, and days turned into weeks…and still, nothing happened. That's when everyone realized that Devil was in recession…Jamie had wounded the demon immensely when he jammed the piece of wood in his third eye…but he was far from finished.

During the sabbatical, Jamie threw himself into training. Marshall Law was kind enough to let Jamie and the others use his dojo. Jamie trained with his friends, as well as Paul and Nina, who had fought Patrick the Nephilim. When they weren't training, Julia, Xiaoyu, and Christie threw themselves into research mode.

Julia worked tirelessly to fully decode the encrypted data of Lee's disk, while the others searched the internet on everything they could about Devil gene sufferers. For awhile, the research began to seem fruitless, until last night, when Julia discovered the origins, and purposes of the artifacts that Jamie had liberated from Devil's clutches.

Apparently, they were all key tools in performing an incredibly complicated ritual known only as: Ascending Angel.

Data on the ritual itself was rather elusive. They knew that a Nephilim performed it, with "The Seal of Metatron as his armor, and the Sovereign's Dagger as his sword"

Apparently, the five rubies known collectively as "_La Vie de Angelus"_ (translated literally to: Blood of Angels) were supposed to contain actual traces of the first five Nephilim's blood. The rubies were inserted in the five slots of the Sovereign's Dagger, and, upon completing the Ascending Angel ritual, would unleash "The first ray of light ever to shine upon creation".

Basically, Jamie could only imagine that it was like some kind of uber, sanctified light saber…which was cool with him, he always wanted to be a Jedi.

So, now that all the mystical mumbo jumbo was almost clear, they only had one more thing to bone up on…the Ascending Angel ritual. If Kazuya went to such great lengths to hide these artifacts then surely this ritual would be the key in exorcising the demon from his body…or so Jin thought.

Lately, Jin was starting to worry Jamie. Jamie of course, was all too aware of Jin's infamous relationship with the Mishima side of his family. But that night at Lee's mansion…Jin had mentioned how different Kazuya was prior to his mother's demise. Apparently, Kazuya had excellent control on the demon inside him…but Jun's death, and ultimate sacrifice was the catalyst that made Kazuya forfeit control of his own body.

Jin thought that by the end of this, Kazuya would be back to normal…a regular man…It was far more complicated then that. Of course, Jamie would try as hard as he could to keep the real Kazuya alive…but it didn't look like it was going to happen…and if need be, Jamie was going to have to kill the man.

The thought weighed heavy on the Nephilim's conscious as he stood in the shower. Under absolutely no circumstance was a Nephilim to use his powers to kill another human being, and so far, Jamie had abided by that rule. Kazuya, however, was a breach in that rule. Devil was such a part of him that the killing him, could actually kill Kazuya in the process…

Jamie bent down and turned the water off, and stepped out of the shower. The mirror was fogged, so he wiped the condensation off of the mirror and stared at himself in the mirror:

_I guess the real issue here is: When the time comes…can I do it? Can I kill another human being? Well, if he doesn't kill me first?_

The King of Iron Fist Tournament was almost over now. The final five contenders were selected to face either each other, or head straight over to face Kazuya should he choose it…Jin Kazama, Doo San Hwoarang, Steve Fox, Ling Xiaoyu…and Jamie Parker…

Julia had a better run this time. She had lost her fight to Nina about two weeks ago, and Christie had been beaten by King three days after the raid at the warehouses…Julia said she had almost completed decrypting the firewalls on the disk…only two more files remained…and one of them shed more light on the Ascending Angel ritual. Jamie only hoped that she would decode it in time…because they were running so short on it…

"Oooooohhhhhhh Mmmmmmmyyyyyyy GGGGAAAAAAWWWWWDDDDD!!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!! IT'S HWOARANG!!!!!" The Japanese schoolgirl squealed delightedly.

Hwoarang flashed a grin that could make dozens of schoolgirl's worldwide hearts melt, as he made pleasantries, and signed his name on her picture. Jamie sat between him and Xiao at the Meet n' Greet. As lame-o as it sounded, Jamie was practically in awe at the sheer size of this mall. It had several floors, and seemed to be an endless expanse of shops, and glittering signs. This mall had a hotel, two movie theaters, and a rollercoaster inside it! It literally put the Mall of America to shame!

The stereotypical teenager in him wanted nothing more then to whip out his Debit Card and do some damage (especially when he saw the 70 off sale at Hot Topic, the Clearance at Pacific Sunwear, and the 50 off at Urban Outfitters). However, he would never admit this to anyone. If Kazuya Mishima did not house the evil incarnate inside of him, Jamie Parker might actually have liked the man. For doing this act of charity, Kazuya, and the Mishima Zaibatsu had given the competitors each one thousand dollar allowances for the day to spend at the mall.

Christie almost went into shock.

Her fan base consisted mainly of guys in their twenties, and teens, which all had her sign a rather infamous picture of her in her trademark Hawaiian t-shirt, and short, fringed, denim shorts. Jin and Hwoarang's fans were young Japanese schoolgirls and guys. Jamie's were the Japanese skaters, and girls who dressed like Avril Lavigne…basically, they looked a lot like his older brother Justin's fans.

Jamie smiled politely, answered their questions, and signed autographs, and took pictures. Finally, there was a break in the line.

"I'm so hungry…" Jamie whispered to Xiao.

"Don't worry, we're gonna break for lunch soon." She said with a grin.

"So, do you wanna get some lunch after this? I'm gonna put my Nephilim metabolism to the test and gorge at the food court." Jamie asked his friend as he adjusted his Bruce Lee trucker hat.

"Well…I'm not sure…are you sure you wanna go with me?" Xiao asked with her award winning grin on her face.

"Well, yeah I mea-" Jamie began.

"Psst…Jamie…you got someone." Hwoarang said with a mischievous grin on his face.

"What?" Jamie asked panickedly. "I'm sorry hold on-" Jamie said quickly…still not looking up. Hwoarang, Xiao…in fact, all his friends grinned at Jamie.

"Okay, lemme sign…" Jamie glanced up, and stared into the kind, green eyes of his older brother Justin Parker. "…Justin?!" Jamie asked in disbelief. The word passed out more like air then sound.

"Hey lil' bro! So, am I gonna get my favorite fighter's autograph?" Justin asked with a grin.

Jamie could only stare wide eyed at his brother. For the moment, he was speechless…he had missed Justin so much! What the hell was he doing here?! He was supposed to be on tour?! There was so much he wanted to say…but he could only blurt out the first thing that came to his mind.

"My hat has Bruce Lee on it…" He stammered.

Justin and the others laughed good naturedly. Jamie was a torrent of emotions. He wanted to laugh, cry, jump up, and hug his brother and his friends all at the same time. Was this their doing?

"Well, I'll take that as a nice to see ya. How 'bout this? Meet me in the food court, and we'll have lunch alright?" Justin said.

"…sure…that'd be…great…" Jamie murmured.

And so Justin Parker got his autograph, waved to the others, and walked towards the food court. Jamie was ecstatic…his brother was here! He couldn't believe it! At that moment, he forgot about his cryptic dream, and the Ascending Angel ritual…he was just lost in the moment. Unbeknownst to the Nephilim though, Kazuya Mishima saw the exchange…and a cruel smile played across his lips…

Author's Note: Okay, another sappy chapter…it'll pick up again soon I promise. Once again, I need to apologize for sucking everyone into the drama of my first flame…and sorry it took forever to upload another chappie. When the website wasn't telling that the servers were overloaded, I was battling uber homework, and a nasty cold…but I feel a little better now. I hope you enjoy this chappie…and please read and review because I'm starved for attention and need the assurance of my peers!!!


	25. Chapter 24: Indecent Proposal

Author's Note: Not much to say here. Oh... I finally realized that symbols and stuff…don't really work on this website…it took me about what, 24 chapters to realize this…oh well, I'm an idiot. I tried to put percents in my last chappie and they didn't show up…guess I'll have to actually write the word out…okay then, what ev…I'll stop rambling now, please read and review!!!

The mall's food court was home to several levels, with restaurants as far as the eye could see. Jamie Parker sat with his older brother at a table next to one of the many water fountains. Justin scarfed his philly cheesesteak with great relish…while Jamie had bought teriyaki chicken with rice, and a Coke in one of those humongous sized cups.

"So, you surprised?" Justin asked through mouthfuls of steak, cheese, and peppers.

"Yeah. You have no idea…I mean; I thought you were on that World Destruction Tour with Bam, and Tony." Jamie said.

"Well…funny thing. 'Bout a couple of weeks ago, I'm in Amsterdam with the others, and I move to call ya…y'know, see how many people you tooled, and instead of hearing your voice, I get this girls…" Justin grinned mischievously and Jamie blushed. "I didn't wanna ask questions. So, she asks me to come visit and surprise you. So, I say 'sure why not' and pretty soon, me an' the boys are in Tokyo!"

Jamie's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean Bam's here too? And Tony?"

That was never a good thing. Justin Parker was a professional skater…and had been so since he was nineteen. That gave Jamie nine years to get to know many pro skaters, and various other celebrities. Tony Hawk was like some kind of benevolent uncle to him, and Bam Margera was like a crazy cousin. Anywhere Bam went, mayhem and destruction followed suit.

At that precise moment, Jamie heard a loud boom, a shattering of something fragile and expensive, and a lovely "OH SHIT!!!!"

Yup, Bam Margera was definantely here.

"So, how's the tournament going? I hear you've made it in the top five!" Justin said.

"Yup. Me, and some of my other friends made it…one of the perks to being the Nephilim I guess…" Jamie said as he took a bite of chicken.

Another cardinal rule as far as Nephilim went was that they were supposed to keep their true identity a secret. No one could know what they were: family, friends, none of them…well, Jamie not only broke that rule; he shattered it into a million pieces with a sledgehammer. All of his friends, who knew, also knew that a Nephilim never got to live out the normal life expectancy…everyone knew this except for Justin Parker.

Jamie was not sure if it was fair or not to keep this key part of Nephilim life (or death) from his brother…but the last thing Jamie wanted to do was worry his brother…and besides, Jamie planned to live a long, and full life…Nephilim or not. It could be done. He was sure of it. Justin thought that his little brother was like some kind of super hero. Like Spider-Man, or Superman…or something to that effect.

Hell, even Jamie's extended "skater" family knew he was different. He had saved Tony Hawk from a Kraelok demon once, and saved his kids from being sacrificed to a demon named Laibach. He had also saved Bam Margera at Mardi Gras when a voodoo priest resurrected a cemetery full of zombies. They also held the same preconceived notion that Justin had of his brother.

Super hero, handed super powers, good guys always won…that sort of thing.

"So, is this tournament like Survivor or something? Once you lose, you go home?" Justin asked.

"Not really. If you lose, you're still a guest and an official competitor, but you can't fight anymore. They keep you around for PR stunts like this one." Jamie explained.

"Oh...so how's that Devil thing going?" He asked casually, as if discussing the weather.

"Um…" Jamie began. "Well, the tournament's almost over. If he's gonna do something, it's gonna happen pretty soon."

Out of all the people Jamie had ever had to lie too, he absolutely hated lying to his brother. He dare not tell Justin that he had faced Kazuya/Devil twice, and both times he had nearly died. Saying such things would upset his brother, and unnecessarily worry him. Justin would try to protect his little brother and wind up getting himself severely wounded or even killed.

No, Jamie could not even fathom it. He wouldn't. No way, no how.

Suddenly, Jamie remembered the dream he had had so long ago. It all came back with startling clarity. Immediately, Jamie remembered seeing his brother's life blood spatter everywhere.

On his face…in his hair…

And Jamie had been powerless to stop it. Powerlessly caught in Devil's grasp…

Justin must have noticed the change in his little brother's demeanor…he knew Jamie so well.

"What's wrong Jamie?" Justin forced a chuckle. "I mean, you're happy that I'm here, right?" He sounded hurt

Jamie had to stop lying to his brother some time…and no better then the present. It would hurt, but for his brother's own safety, he had to tell Justin about his cryptic dream. He had to tell him to be ready, and most importantly, to be safe. Jamie would try as hard as he could to protect Justin, but he couldn't be everywhere at once…and Devil knew that.

"Of course I'm thrilled that you're here. You have no idea what it means to me…but…Justin?" Jamie drew in a breath. "Listen, I don't think it's-"

Jamie was interrupted by Xiaoyu, who ran up to Justin and Jamie's table. She seemed out of breath.

"Sorry to interrupt you guys, but Kazuya wants everyone to meet him back at the tables. He's got an important announcement to make or something."

Inwardly, Jamie both cursed, and sighed with relief.

"Wanna come with? Could be cool?" Jamie offered with a grin.

"Bro, nothing could keep me away!" Justin said as he stood up.

Together, the two walked back to the mall's main square.

Ten minutes later, Jamie, Justin, and Xiao made their way to the main square. Kazuya Mishima, and the main tournament official Kenji Iwamura (who reminded Jamie of a Japanese Ryan Seacrest, or Carson Daily…someone lame-o like that) stood on a stage.

"First of all, I myself, and on the behalf of the competitors, would like to thank everyone for coming out here today! It means so much to us that you care enough to come out! Give yourselves a big hand!" Kazuya shouted.

The crowd cheered exuberantly and hooted and hollered. Cautiously, Jamie applauded along with the other fighters…something was up…but at this point, Jamie had no idea what it was.

"And for coming out here today We've got a special surprise for each and everyone of you!! Something that has never been done before, in the history of the King of Iron Fist Tournament!!" Kazuya added.

A hushed silence fell on the crowd. Warily, Jamie discreetly dropped into a fighter's stance. Fully prepared for Kazuya to transform into Devil and begin a massacre in this mall.

_No, he wouldn't…he's not that stupid…something's up though…_

However, there wouldn't be a bloody slaughter…but something far worse…

"When we call your names, please step on the platform." Kazuya instructed.

"He's everyone's favorite newbie! Kind, gracious, and pretty easy on the eyes! Give it up for skater turned fighter JAMIE PARKER!!!!!" Kenji shouted.

The crowd hooted and hollered as Jamie made his way on the stage. He waved, and played the part of the gracious competitor…but inside; he felt a tingling at the base of his ponytail.

"Next, he's the badass with the smile and charm to melt any girl's heart like butter!! Give it up for the legendary Baek's successor…HWOARANG!!!!!!!!"

Hwoarang leapt up on stage with a cocky grin, and a wave at the crowd.

"Jamie? What's going on?" He asked through smiling teeth.

"I have no idea….play along for the moment though."

"These two are fast becoming the best loved fighters the King of Iron Fist Tournament has ever seen…and both are in line to fight the tournament master…Kazuya Mishima." Kenji said.

A hushed silence fell on the crowd…and the color drained from Jamie's face. He glanced over towards Hwoarang who looked beyond pissed. With a rising sense of dread Jamie began to realize what Kazuya's latest tactic was…as did Hwoarang.

"These two will be fighting for a chance to battle me…and ultimately, a chance to obtain the grand prize. This is your surprise people! Two friends, battling it out! May the best man win…"

Kazuya continued to talk, but Jamie felt like collapsing. First of all, Nephilim powers or not, Jamie was not sure if he could beat Hwoarang…and besides…they were friends…good friends, who had been through a lot in the past three weeks. How could this happen? Hwoarang looked at Jamie…and he had the same look of utter disgust as Jamie.

"The match will begin in twenty minutes at the fountain next to the hotel…believe me people," He turned and glanced at Jamie, cruel smirk still planted on his lips. "It will be a match to die for."

Author's Note: DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!!! OMG what's gonna happen? Jamie vs. Hwoarang…two good friends thrust together in the ring. Oh, and I don't mean to offend anyone who likes Carson Daily or Ryan Seacrest...um, I just don't think that as a character, Jamie would like them. Anyway, I have filled five pages of reviews now ::claps and does Xandir from Drawn Together squeal:: My wildest dreams are coming true!!! Please keep it up!!! And thanks for everyone who takes the time to review!!!! PPPPLLLLEEEEAAASSSEEE click the little purple box at the lower left corner of the page and write me a nice lil' note…or ya know, a critique, but please, let's keep it friendly okay? Thanks again!


	26. Chapter 25: It's All About The Mission

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who have read and reviewed…please keep it up as I am starved for attention and need the assurance of my peers. Oh, to element6 on the last review…um, is that a good thing that I mixed the two together? And also thanks for reviewing cuz I haven't heard from you in awhile and I was starting to get a little worried ). I was honestly thinking how I could take two completely different games and combine them somehow. Anyway, please keep reviewing and much love to everyone!!!

As soon as the announcement was made that he would fight Hwoarang, Jamie fled to the mall's bathroom…and there he sat in the stall for the last fifteen minutes. The remnants of lunch floated in the toilet…he was so nervous…so worried over what would happen. This was why he should have kept his distance from everyone as soon as he entered the hotel for the first time…it would have been so much easier to go through with this if he and Hwoarang hadn't ever taken the time to get to know eachother. Jamie hated times like these; times when he knew that he should never have had friends in the first place.

Times when he knew that he should have abided by the rules...afterall, it was supposed to be all about the mission...

For the past fifteen minutes, Jamie had been staring at the graffiti on the bathroom walls. He could only read some of it because it was all written in Japanese…yet at the same time, he wasn't reading it. He just stared off, contemplating his current situation.

If he won, he could jeopardize the friendships that he had made during this tournament, and destroy Hwoarang's chances of ever getting into the ring with Jin…but if he lost then he could never get close enough to Kazuya to finish the mission…and, ultimately, Kazuya would find it much easier to kill him if he wasn't in the tournament anymore.

Jamie couldn't back out of the match…neither could Hwoarang; like it or not, the two would have to fight. Slowly, Jamie checked his cell phone. The clock read that it was 2:15. He had another five minutes to get down to the mall's hotel. It wouldn't take him very long to make the trip if he left now.

Jamie flushed the toilet and walked to the sink and stared at himself in the mirror. His face had a look of neutrality on it…he felt numb all over…both emotionally and physically. He splashed some water on his face hoping to feel something…anything…any kind of emotion, but found that there was none…just moisture dripping down his chin.

Not wasting anytime, Jamie left the bathroom…it was quiet in there and he had savored it…now it was almost too loud, too noisy…almost stifling out here…out in the real world.

A large crowd had gathered to watch the ensuing battle…and why wouldn't they? One of the most well known fighters in the tournament was going up against the last remaining newbie. The crowd parted like the red sea for the Nephilim. Jamie could see Hwoarang standing next to the fountain practicing his lightning fast kicks. Before Jamie could enter the unofficial "ring" however, Xiaoyu stopped him.

"I'm sorry Xiao, I have to go." Jamie said numbly.

"Jamie, listen to me!" She said, grabbing his shoulders.

"Xiao, it's been done, I've gotta do this!"

"Listen. Whatever happens. However this fight turns out, I want you to know that it doesn't change anything!"

Xiao's face hardened. She too, knew what it was like to have to face off with her friends…it was a liability that one took when entering this tournament. The fact that Jamie had dodged this bullet for so long was nothing short of a miracle….still, Kazuya had pitted Jamie against Hwoarang…Hwoarang was an excellent fighter, and even though he felt the same way about this situation as Jamie did, Xiao knew that it wouldn't stop him from giving the fight his all.

Jamie better hope that his Nephilim abilities were as good as everyone said.

Justin Parker stood next to Xiaoyu, and offered his brother a kind sentence or two:

"Don't worry Jamie…you'll do what has to be done…you always have…"

"Thanks you guys…let's just hope and pray that I can get this over with…and that Hwoarang doesn't kick my ass too bad."

With a thudding in his heart, and vomiting butterflies in his stomach, Jamie Parker walked into the fray

(Five minutes later…)

"Three…"

Jamie Parker looked over at Hwoarang, who stared back at him, a look of cold determination in his eyes.

"Two…"

Jamie dropped into his fighter's stance, and returned Hwoarang's stare.

"One…"

The Nephilim noticed for an instant…for a microsecond that Hwoarang's eyes flashed a look of utter despair…as if to say "I'm as disgusted by this as you"

_This is it…here it comes!!_

"FIGHT!!!"

Jamie heard the words, but they didn't register in his mind immediately. At that second, the world seemed to dissolve around him. The shouts, the jeers from the hysterical crowd all seemed to melt away. And now, it was just Jamie and Hwoarang…together, in this arena.

Hwoarang wasted no time attacking Jamie with a roundhouse kick to the side. Jamie yelped in pain as he felt ribs rattle in his body. The blow caused him to stoop a bit, leaving his head open, which Hwoarang promptly kicked with another roundhouse kick. Jamie uttered a colorful profanity as the blow connected with his temple. How could he have left himself open to a blow like that?! Quickly, Jamie retaliated with a low sweep, and Hwoarang fell on his ass.

Jamie moved to attack the Korean again, but he rolled out of the way, and was up in an instant. As soon as he got up, Hwoarang attempted to trap Jamie in a reverse hook kick, but the Nephilim ducked the blow just in time. It whizzed by his hair with the speed of a bullet…had it connected, then Jamie felt certain it would have snapped his neck.

Fortunately, the blow missed, leaving Hwoarang opened for the slightest of seconds. Jamie stepped in, launching a devastating array of punches and kicks to the Korean. However, he didn't want to hurt his friend too much, so he pulled his punches and kicks…ever so slightly. He wouldn't dream of unleashing his full Nephilim strength on a human.

The fast combo was meant to slowly ebb away at Hwoarang's strength. The blows were light, but they counted…and right now, that was the only strategy he could think to use for Hwoarang. The two kicked and punched, Hwoarang landing a few blows, Jamie landing a few, and what startled Jamie the most was the fact that Hwoarang's speed almost matched his own. Whenever Jamie faced a regular human, they always seemed to be moving in slow motion…the less experienced of a fighter they were, the slower they would move…and yet, Hwoarang seemed to matching Jamie's pace…which was just a hair below full out Nephilim momentum.

At the last second, Jamie misjudged one of Hwoarang's roundhouse kicks. It was meant to be a fake out, and it worked. The Korean's foot lashed out for Jamie's ankles, and the Nephilim attempted to block the attack…but at the last second, Hwoarang's foot soared towards the Nephilim's face…

The blow connected.

"AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH" Jamie screamed as Hwoarang's foot came in contact with Jamie's nose.

He heard a soft, snap…and knew his nose was broken. It hurt, but it would heal soon. Blood poured in copious amounts from the wound as Jamie staggered back. Hwoarang finished the job with a punishing side kick. Jamie soared into the fountain, and broke the actual fountain itself.

The statue of cherubs or whatever had been smashed to pieces once Jamie's skull came in contact with it.

_Hunh, how's that for poetic justice?_ Jamie found himself wondering sleepily.

Hwoarang had won the first round as Jamie lay dazed in the pool. His nose was beginning to mend itself, and even though he was offered to throw in the towel, he refused. As Jamie walked into the ring again, Hwoarang shouted to him.

"Don't you dare fucking pull your punches and kicks with me! I've trained with you man, I know what you can do! You wanna be here so bad? Don't you dare hold back on me!!! Prove to me that you want to be here! Make this match worth it!!!" He said, his voice cracking with raw emotion.

Jamie looked into the crowd and saw Xiao. She had her hands clamped firmly under her chin…eyes glassy with unshed tears. Standing next to her were Jin, Julia, Steve, and Christie. Julia was crying, Christie was comforting her, Jin, and Steve watched the battle with captivated interest. Justin gave his brother a half smile, and out of all the noise from the crowd, Jamie heard Justin's voice loud and clear.

"GOOD JOB JAMIE!!! C'MON BRO, YOU CAN DO THIS!!!"

Jamie's gaze fixed on Hwoarang;

"Let's finish this." He said to his friend.

Round two began, and this time, Jamie didn't hold back. He unleashed his full Nephilim strength and reflexes on Hwoarang. The Korean kept pace with Jamie's supernatural speed, but Jamie became relentless with his attacks. He punched; he kicked, dodged, and ducked. Hwoarang attempted to ax kick him, but Jamie back flipped out of the way. As he landed the back flip…still on bent knees, he lunged at Hwoarang, focusing all of his weight into his hands.

The attack worked, Hwoarang and Jamie both tumbled into the arcade. Shouts and screams from the kids ran rampant through the cramped area. Upon getting up, Jamie unleashed a roundhouse kick to Hwoarang's face. Hwoarang caught the kick and used the Nephilim's momentum against him. Hwoarang flung Jamie into the Dance Dance Revolution Machine. Jamie's skull hit the iron bars with a resounding clang. Quick as lightning, Jamie got up, and jump side kicked Hwoarang in the chest.

The kick hurt Hwoarang, who stumbled somewhat. Jamie walked at a fast pace towards him, and snapped out another roundhouse kick. Hwoarang caught it again, but this time, Jamie was ready for it. He lifted his back leg up, and finished the kick.

Hwoarang shouted in agony as the blow landed in his temple. He fell, and Jamie won the second round.

Round three quickly began, and again, the two unleashed blinding punches and kicks at eachother. Jamie made the mistake of leaving himself open for a devastating attack. Hwoarang ran up the Nephilim's exposed knee, spun through the air, and kicked Jamie square in the face…his nose broke again, and Jamie cried out in pain.

While on the ground, Hwoarang leapt onto Jamie…straddling the Nephilim. Hwoarang attempted to snap Jamie's trachea…a move that was utterly devastating. However, Hwoarang made it legal. He only fractured it to a point where the person would be able to breathe again…after passing out.

Jamie knew if he succeeded, then he would lose. So Jamie thought quickly.

He wrapped his legs as tight as he could around Hwoarang's body and squeezed. He squeezed as hard as he could…screaming as he did. Hwoarang's face began to redden in pain…Jamie knew that Hwoarang's ribs would start to break pretty soon…if he didn't give up.

"Hwoarang?" Jamie asked as he struggled to keep the street thug's hands off his throat.

Finally, Jamie heard a pop, as one of Hwoarang's ribs broke. Quickly, Jamie let go, and in a blink of an eye, kangaroo kicked Hwoarang in the chest. The blow made the Korean sail into a skee ball machine.

As fast as he could, Jamie got up and faced Hwoarang. Both panted, were bruised, and bloody. Hwoarang clutched his side. His ribs had been fractured, but not broken.

"Well, what is it?" Hwoarang asked through pants.

"I'm sorry," Jamie panted; tears began to stream down his face. "But I can't let you beat me!"

He ran at Hwoarang then. Hwoarang moved to punch Jamie, but the Nephilim dodged it…then, he unleashed a punch to the side of Hwoarang's face. The blow was enough to drop Hwoarang.

He had lost.

Officially Jamie had won the fight, and Kenji came over to interview him.

There was no posing for cameras or fans…right now, Jamie's only concern was for his friend.

"Oh Hwoarang…I'm so sorry…" Jamie panted.

"You used all of your powers…you didn't hold back…I've got no regrets about how it went down…" Hwoarang said with a smile.

Jamie helped Hwoarang up, and the two embraced in a "guy hug"

"Hold on to me," Jamie said, as he helped Hwoarang walk towards the medics. "We need to get those ribs looked at."

"Maybe…maybe it was meant to be this way…you've got a bigger purpose to be here Jamie…you really proved yourself to me today. Thank you."

The two walked towards the medic station, with their other friends in tow. Inwardly, Jamie sighed with relief that it was over…but now, he had to face an even bigger challenge…tomorrow was his fight with Kazuya Mishima himself…

Author's Note: Whaddya think? Once again, I'm sorry to end it so fast, but I only write really well late at night, and it's like 2:00 in the morning here. Thank god for my one class tomorrow, then I can sleep at work. Thank god I work at the school store!!! Anyway, please read and review, I luvs me some reviews!!!!


	27. Chapter 26: With Great Power

Author's Note: New chappie…and hopefully…some new reviews…:)

Anyway, hope you enjoy, please read and review, love to all!!!

Two hours after the fight Jamie laid in his room. The lights were off, and only the sounds were from his headphones. He was dozing lightly.

Not entirely asleep…yet not entirely awake.

Jamie felt a tingling all over his body…particularly in his face.

His body was healing itself, especially his nose, which began resetting itself to its natural shape. Justin would have stayed with his brother, but he had to bail Bam out of a Tokyo jail…later, the group of skaters were going to go reek some more havoc on the poor, unsuspecting city.

Jamie would have gone with them, but he was too tired, and he figured if something of demonic persuasion was to harass them, then he would be getting a call on his cell phone (which was on, and placed securely by his bed).

He was far too weak to patrol tonight. The fight with Hwoarang had completely drained him both emotionally and physically. It was strange…almost all of the fighter's (especially the newbies) had been moving in almost slow motion to Jamie…granted, the more experienced fighters were faster…but Hwoarang…Hwoarang was different.

He had kept Jamie's pace almost with startling regularity. His moves were almost identical to Jamie's…which frightened the Chosen One even more. When Jamie had filled out his tournament application, he had explained that his fighting style was a mix of various other arts…tae kwon do, capoeria, maui thai, and basic karate. When in actuality, all those mixtures were in fact the basic training regimen of a Nephilim.

Almost no one incorporated all of these martial arts into one style…except for Nephilim. So, how did Hwoarang know them? True, he used more tae kwon do then the other styles, but the other styles, and the way he moved seemed remarkably similar to how Jamie was trained.

Now, there was no way on Earth that Hwoarang could be a Nephilim. You only get one, and stick with that one until he keels…and so far, Jamie hadn't died (knock on wood). At first, Jamie opted to believe that Hwoarang's agility and stamina were based upon the enormous amounts of adrenaline, and hard core training. But that changed quickly because he was pretty consistent throughout the match…only at the end did he seem to get slower.

So what then? If it wasn't adrenaline, then what was keeping him from lasting that long?

Jamie pondered on the subject for a little while longer…but found that his mind was starting to grow hazy with sleep. Just before he could fully fall into coveted slumber however, his door slammed open. Jamie awoke with a jolt to find Steve standing in the threshold.

"Jamie?"

"Yeah?" He asked sleepily.

"Um, Julia's managed to hack through all of Lee's disk…and she found something pretty important…I think you'll wanna see this." Steve said.

"Yeah sure. I'll be there in a sec." Jamie replied.

Quickly, he pulled his headphones off and dashed down the hall with Steve towards the girl's room.

The girl's room (or more appropriately, Xiaoyu and Julia's room) was in a shambles. The dusty occult tomes (lent by the local Shinto temple down the street) clashed dramatically with the girl's bras, panties, and various other articles of clothing. Julia sat on one of the twin beds, pecking lightly on her laptop. Her eyes were glowing with interest, and words danced through the frames of her glasses. Xiao sat on the bed next to her, reading the files on the computer, while Christie sat in the space between the two beds.

Hwoarang sat on the next bed…he winced as he moved, as his ribs were still healing.

_Alright, cross out crazy theory number 5: Hwoarang is not a Nephilim…his ribs would've healed hours ago…_

Jin sat in the chair, going over some of the printed files from the disk, and Christie sat on the floor in the space between the two beds blowing lightly on her freshly painted nails.

"Jamie, you're here!" Xiao said excitedly. "This is good! We've got some awesome news!" She stood up and clapped eagerly.

"Really? What's up? We've got a way to stop Kazuya?" Jamie asked hopefully.

"Well," Julia said, pecking on the keys. "We think we do…do you remember that ritual that we told you about? Ascending Angel?"

"Yeah?" Jamie asked eagerly.

"Well, we've figured out what it is, sort of…" Hwoarang stated.

"Sort of?" Jamie queried.

"Well, from what we've been able to come up with; the Devil gene inside Kazuya Mishima's body is pure demon…nothing can really kill it except for it's exact opposite," Julia began.

"You mean like, pure Angel?" Christie asked.

"Exactly," Julia commented.

"But that doesn't make sense then. Jamie's an Angel, and he's gotten his ass kicked by Devil twice," Steve stated, then looked at Jamie apologetically. "No offense mate."

"None taken, but that's the problem Steve, I'm not full Angel. I'm half. Half Angel, and half human."

"Right, this is why you've been able to survive each of Devil's attacks on you." Julia added.

"Ahem." Jin cleared his throat.

"Wait you're turn Jin! I'll get to you!" Julia chided gently.

"Anyway, you and Jin are probably the most equipped people to ever stand a fighting chance against Devil. This is because, Jin, also has the Devil gene…but he can control it. You, are half Angel…but not full. And there in, lies the problem." Julia finished.

"Wait…I'm not getting it." Jamie complained.

"I am. I think what Jules means is that only a full Angel can really take Devil out." Hwoarang began. "You're not. You're only half…but this Ascending Angel ritual can help fix that." He said with a wicked grin on his face.

"So, it's a power spell? Kinda like an energy bar for the soul?" Jamie asked.

"Sort of. Essentially, the spell helps you regain that other half…turning you, temporarily into full Angel mode." Xiao finished.

"You mean…I'd…be an…Angel?" Jamie asked.

The comment weighed heavily on Jamie's conscience…not just a Nephilim anymore...

_I'd have more power than you can shake a stick at…but there's a catch…there's always a catch…_

"You'll only be one temporarily…or so I've gathered from the notes…but to elevate yourself to that power level, there are certain rites that need to be preformed." Julia explained.

"You need to call on the spirits of three Nephilim who have died to aid you...to lend their residual power to you to complete the spell." Hwoarang explained.

"Interesting side note; the easiest Nephilim to call are the ones who have died in relatively the same situation that you're in." Xiao said.

Everyone looked at her strangely, until Steve broke the silence.

"Oh, like in the tournament right?"

"Yeah Steve, that's right." Christie commented.

"Okay. So who would I call? I mean, obviously, I'd call on Patrick…I mean, Ogre killed him…chances are, he'd still be pretty pissed off about it…but who else?" Jamie thought.

"Mark," Jin (who had been quiet for a long time) spoke up suddenly. "You could call on your predecessor...he was murdered indirectly because of this tournament."

"Good plan," Jamie nodded all business. "But that still leaves one last person…who else was a Nephilim, who died in this tournament?"

Everyone glanced over at Hwoarang who sighed, slowly stood up, and limped towards Jamie.

"There is…well, was, one final Nephilim in The King of Iron Fist Jamie…I…I didn't know about it until literally, just a few minutes before our fight. Julia found the information…but I wanted to test you, to test and see if you were worthy of it…you've proven that worth to me…in more ways then one…there was one final Nephilim…he was like a father to me…he took me in when no one else would…and his name was Baek…Baek Doo San…"

Hwoarang put a hand on Jamie's shoulder.

"He held one of the longest life spans that any Nephilim had…to this day, he's known as one of the great ones…he trained me in the Nephilim fighting styles…at first I didn't really believe any of it…but after meeting you…I realized it was true…everything he said, it was all true…I'd be honored if I could fight along side you, and I'm sure that he'd be honored to do the same."

"Hwoarang…" Jamie said speechless.

Hwoarang pulled something from under his shirt…it was a necklace…military dog tags to be precise. Justin wore their father's all the time. He slipped them off his neck and handed them to Jamie…who reverently let Hwoarang put them on.

Strangely, Jamie felt like he was being knighted.

"Hwoarang…" Jamie sputtered again, tears forming in his eyes.

"Now, don't get all 'movie of the week' on me. I want these back okay? Jules said that you need something personal from the deceased to summon them."

"Of course…I'd be honored if you all helped me…" Jamie stated.

The group exchanged pleasantries for a bit longer, and began to draw battle plans. Jin smiled, and prepared to hand Jamie the printed papers…until his smile abruptly faded, and his face paled.

"Jin? What's wrong?" Xiao asked with a concerned tone.

"Jamie…there's more written here; When a Nephilim performs the Ascending Angel Ritual…the awesome radiance of his angelic form requires energy…vast amounts of it…and, the heavenly form uses the host body as a kind of battery…and…"

"Jin…quit with the analytical bull shit…" Jamie stated somberly.

"The price you pay to perform this ritual Jamie…is your life…" Jin finished.

Author's Note: Okay…I'm sorry that this chappie was super confusing…please don't hate me!!! Anyway, for a quick recap: The Ascending Angel Ritual requires the Nephilim to call upon the spirits of three deceased Nephilim. Each lending their residual powers to the living Nephilim. The result turns the half breed, into a full on Angel, the only being equipped with enough power to eliminate a devil…however, this power comes with the price of death as the angelic form draws energy from it's Nephilim host…so the Nephilim becomes like a living battery for the Angel form…The holy weapons that were stolen from the warehouse only work once the ritual is completed and the Nephilim has reached his Angel form…okay, I'm sorry it's so confusing. Please write me some reviews, but no flames please. Critiques are highly appreciated!!! PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I'M DOING!!!!!!!!


	28. Chapter 27: Endgame

Author's Note: Oops…um…I didn't know that Baek Doo San was in Tekken 5! Thanks for that the update krappkarmin…please don't hate me for it! Thanks for not going all psycho, rabid fan on me! I've been kinda busy, so I haven't actually played Tekken 5 in the arcades yet…I know, I'm lame-o, but I will definantly go out and buy it when it comes out for ps2. Anyway, please don't let this stop you guys from reviewing! I luvs me some reviews!!! And I hope you enjoy the latest chappie!!!

Fireworks exploded in the night sky. Dozens of colors burst in the night. The crowd ooed and aahed…and Jamie had to admit that they were very pretty…quite a send off for him…on, most likely, his last night on Earth.

_Don't think like that Jamie…don't you dare…Julia and the others promised that they'd find another way…_

Jamie wished he could believe them. He wished more then anything that he could…but deep in his heart, he knew that this was the only way…he knew…

This was what being the Nephilim was all about he supposed. There was no way to avoid the inevitable fate that every Nephilim seemed to suffer.

Early death.

He had delayed his death for three years…three years of averting apocalypse, and fighting various beasties and boogeymen that went bump in the night. He had saved countless lives, and laughed in the face of danger more times then he could count…and now…now it would all end.

He hadn't slept at all last night…not after what Jin had discovered about the ritual. Xiaoyu had cried…her words echoed through Jamie's mind like the howls of the damned.

_Xiao…it has to be done this way…if this is the only way to stop Devil then this is what I need to do._

_No! There has to be another way!! I watched Patrick die all those years ago! I watched him sacrifice his life so that I could live! I can't let them take you Jamie! I can't let you fall like the others!_

Jamie shut his eyes tightly, and clenched his fists. A single tear slid down his cheek. He spent the whole night training. Training for the fight he was about to enter. All the while, pondering what would become of him. Julia and the others were knee deep in research, hoping to find some other alternative way to perform the ritual…or maybe another way to destroy Devil? And so far, they had found none.

After he got over the initial shock of what was to happen…and that it was the only way…Jamie started to become eerily calm on the exterior. He even surprised himself when he realized the immediate change of attitude.

If he were to die tonight, he regarded the whole experience more as a child who never did his homework, and got all F's on his report card…and had to face his parents with it. Of course, he dreaded the aspect…but, if it were to happen this way, then maybe this was how it was supposed to end.

The warrior side of him took solace in knowing that his death would save billions of people's lives…if Devil were to keep existing in this reality, in just a few short months, he could probably gain enough power to begin opening up other demonic dimensions into this one…the result would be Hell on Earth.

And that was never fun.

However, his other half…Jamie Parker, the eighteen year old teenager…had some different views on the subject. He would never get to accomplish his goal of finishing school…never getting a chance to try his hand at his life long dream career (photo journalism), never be able to see his brother again, and wonder if he would ever become an uncle when Justin finally settled down. There was so much he still wanted to do in life. He had always wanted to go backpacking in Europe…he had always wanted to get his photo's displayed in an art showcase…he had always wanted to do a lot of things...and now, all of those things would never happen.

Yesterday, Jamie Parker still clung to that firm belief that a Nephilim could live out a semi normal life…yesterday, he had been signing autographs and getting a surprise visit from his brother…he had been happy then…he believed that he could take down Devil soon with the right amount of weapons and motivation…it seemed like so long ago…what had happened?

Jamie wondered what his successor would be like…where would he be from? How old would he be? What kind of music did he like? Would he put Jamie to shame…or from this time out, would Jamie be the last Nephilim in the Hall of Fame? It was a sobering thought to think about one's successor.

_Just think…in just a matter of hours, one guys life could change forever…to whomever that guy is…I'm sorry man, I really am…but it was the only way…_

Jamie stared at the fireworks one last time…he watched them shoot up in the sky, explode in a dazzling kaleidoscope of colors…before fizzling out into oblivion.

The fireworks kind of reminded Jamie of his life as a Nephilim; the calling was a surprise, and utterly at random (like the noises a firework makes as it ascends towards the heavens) then there's the sheer power you have of facing monsters (the explosion) and then the death…as you eventually fizzle out in history…Jamie had hoped that before he died, he would leave his mark on the world…well, be careful what you wished for…

"They are marvelous aren't they?" A low voice said. "They cost quite a lot of money y'know. I spared no expense…I figured for the last night of the Tournament, I should go all out…for the fans."

"Well…that's really nice of you…always thinking of your fans like that. If you weren't so hideously evil, I might have actually thought that you were a decent man." Jamie said calmly, watching the fireworks.

"Is that your latest snappy comeback? I have to say that it's not your best."

"Then how about this?" Jamie turned and stared full on into the face of pure evil…into the face of Kazuya Mishima. "I will destroy you. I've gone through your pathetic demon army. I've turned your pathetic toy soldiers into scrap metal. I've killed your sick, sadist brother, and your skanky, hell bitch vamp queen. You want a war? Then I'll fucking give you one." Jamie whispered through gritted teeth.

The anger flared up in the Nephilim now…Kazuya loved it…his demonic other half growled hungrily for his delicious, warrior soul…and by the end of the night, it would be his.

"Excellent. Then, let's see what you've got!" Kazuya smirked.

As he said this…a loud, clanging sound emanated from all around the arena. Chain link fences shot up from slots, and enclosed the fighters in the cage. Jamie heard a low buzzing sound come from the fences.

"Since you are so such a special case Jamie…I've taken the liberty in having these fences electrified…oh, it won't kill you…and it won't even hurt…much…unless of course you're pushed up against them…in that case death will come from slowly cooking yourself alive."

"Hm. I didn't think you wanted barbeque Nephilim. I always thought you wanted my soul right?" Jamie asked.

"That's right, and by the end of this night, it will be mine! And then you'll be on my side whether you want to or not." Kazuya added.

"I'm not gonna let you get it without a fight. I'm not that easy!" Jamie snapped.

Soon, the fight began, and the crowd cheered madly. Jamie saw that his brother was in the crowd…along with Tony Hawk, and Bam Margera. Xiao, Hwoarang, Christie, and Steve were in the crowd as well. Julia and Jin hadn't shown. If Jamie were to lose his fight with Kazuya, then Jin was next…he was in the locker room getting ready, and Julia was still researching for an alternative way to kill Devil.

Kazuya moved to punch Jamie in the gut, and the Nephilim meant to block it…but Kazuya was fast…way faster than Hwoarang…in fact, maybe even a little faster then Jamie himself! The blow connected, and Jamie spun through the air and into the fence. A fresh jolt of pain shot up his spine as he landed.

"Is that all you got Nephilim? I've killed old ladies who fought back harder then you did?" Kazuya taunted.

Enraged, Jamie leapt up and ran at Kazuya…he punched and kicked…even landed a few attacks…Kazuya grunted with hit…bit ultimately, they did little damage. There was no reason to hold back on Kazuya…not like Hwoarang…and the fighter's were in awe at the fact that Kazuya and Jamie were practically blonde, and dark blurs in the arena.

The first round lasted for well over fifteen minutes. Every time Kazuya punched or kicked Jamie, it felt like he was being hit by two cinderblocks.

"Y'know it doesn't have to be this way Jamie…you could join my side…" Kazuya goaded.

"Oh Christ! You're pulling that shit on me? Isn't it a little late for that?" Jamie asked as he jump snap kicked Kazuya in the face. "Ummm…no? How's that for a response?"

Kazuya staggered back, but quickly recovered. Jamie cleared the gap between them with a skipping roundhouse kick. Kazuya backed up, but the two were much closer now. Neither could really kick eachother, as they were too close…so they began to grapple with eachother.

"Don't you see? We are like brothers in some ways-"

"Well, in that case, I'm telling mom what you're doing!" Jamie retorted.

Kazuya tried to punch the Nephilim, but he ducked his head. His hands still held fiercely onto Kazuya's shoulders. While ducking, Jamie unleashed his back leg, and his foot smacked into Kazuya. This was Jamie's own "special move" he liked to call it "Dream Bludgeon" The dark prince was flung into the fence with a slam…electricity coursing through his body.

Jamie had won round one.

"Careful whatcha wish for Kazzy! Betcha really hating those electrified fences right now!" Jamie asked with a grin and a wink.

Kazuya angrily rushed and picked Jamie up. The Nephilim wasn't ready for the attack, so he was swept up in his arms. Kazuya used the momentum to fling Jamie hard on the ground. Jamie felt like he was going to vomit when he heard something in the back of his head crack.

Quickly, Jamie spun his legs around in a helicopter motion…the result got him off the ground quickly, and landed a few hits on Kazuya. The two began to unleash complicated combinations on eachother…Jamie tried a right cross and left hook, followed immediately with an elbow to the face, but Kazuya caught Jamie and, grinning wickedly, tore Jamie's arm out of socket!

Jamie made a strange, moaning, "oh" sound as he clutched his limp arm painfully. Not wasting anytime, Kazuya flung him to the ground, and kicked him as hard as he could in the stomach.

Kazuya had won round two.

Jamie was offered to quit, but he refused…instead, painfully, and with the help of a tournament aid, managed to pop his arm back into socket. The resulting, wet snap, made the aid faint, and the pain was still intense…but it slowly ebbed away. Shouts of encouragement ran through the crowd…particularly from his friends, but Justin was mysteriously absent.

Jamie knew something was wrong.

"Where the fuck is my brother?!" Jamie asked through gritted teeth.

Kazuya looked amused. "I'll tell you after the fight."

"Fine. Let's get to kickin' your ass then!" Jamie roared.

The two unleashed dizzying martial arts attacks at eachother…the crowd gasped at the super human nature of the fight…captivated by their every move. Jamie punched, and Kazuya kicked. Jamie dodged everything to the best of his ability but the attacks were painful and brutal. Jamie now realized how much Kazuya hated him, for he was relentless in his attacks. Jamie managed to land a few blows, but they weren't particularly stunning.

Finally, Kazuya back handed Jamie as hard as he could. The attack tore through Jamie's guard, and he actually did a 360 spin because he was hit so hard. Everything was spinning, and Jamie couldn't will his arms or legs to move…his strength was draining. Kazuya grinned evilly at him.

"Time for this little angel to go to Heaven!"

He picked Jamie up in a chokehold, and flung him as hard as he could into the electrified fence. Sparks flew everywhere as Jamie landed against the fence…he was hit so hard that the circuits were completely blown. The only thing keeping him coherent were the constant jolts of electricity shooting throughout his body…finally he fell to the ground with a resounding thud.

Smoke emanated from his blackened clothes, and while his skin and hair were badly burnt, they would heal in about an hour or so. The sickening odor of burning flesh and hair…his flesh and hair! Hung in the air, and made him want to vomit. Jamie attempted to stand, but fell flat on his face.

He had lost. Kazuya had won…there was just no more fight in him. The spirit was more then willing, but the flesh was weak. He was aware of Kazuya walking towards him, and in that moment, Jamie wanted nothing more then to get up, and continue to fight.

That's what happened in the movies afterall? Rocky always seemed to get his second wind…so where was Jamie's?!

Kazuya roughly grabbed Jamie's sizzling hair, and pulled his face up. "You want your brother back so bad don't you? Meet me in at the Hon Maru Temple in two hours! You'll heal by that time, and we can finish this!"

Kazuya flung Jamie's face down, and it hit the grated metal with a resounding thud. Jamie blacked out then, and he wasn't aware of the medics carrying him off The Arena floor…nor did he hear Xiao's racking sobs, or Hwoarang and Steve's threats to the unaffected Kazuya…

Author's Note: Once again, sorry for rushing, but…you know my excuse for that…anyway, once again I'm truly sorry for the Baek Doo San faux pas…please forgive me…I had no idea…but please keep an open mind about this ficcie and read and review! I hope you liked it! Believe me, there's lots more action coming up in the later chappies! Okay, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!! And love to everyone!!!!!


	29. Chapter 28: Revelations

Author's Note: HOLY HELL!!!! Who knew that there was so much going on in Tekken 5?! Oh well, that's two things I've royally screwed up. (Jinpachi and Baek) Once again, I'm completely sorry for the mixer uppers, so please forgive me! Oh, and I haven't found a way to add symbols that mean "new scene" so I'm going to say things in parenthesis from now on for example…(5 minutes later…) Thanks to everyone who take the time to review! Much love to everyone!!! AND PLEASE REVIEW!!! CUZ IT'S LIKE PIXIE STICK SUGAR TO CRAZY WRITERS LIKE ME!!!!!!!

Jamie was aware of pain…well, not so much pain, but more of a steady, driving ache. His body felt like a gigantic bruise, and he groaned in agony. His memory came back to him with startling clarity. He remembered fighting Kazuya…remembered getting his shoulder dislocated…and finally, his electrocution…

Kazuya had flung Jamie as hard as he could into that fence. And Jamie was pumped with about as much electricity as death row victims get in the electric chair…it should have killed him…but it didn't.

Apparently, Kazuya knew a lot about Jamie's Nephilim physiology, and this frightened him. Kazuya knew just the right amount of torture to apply to Jamie before he would die…literally, after that match, Jamie felt like he was on the brink of death.

As Jamie slowly began to open his eyes, he heard voices around him.

"…he's waking up!" Steve proclaimed.

"…oh my God, it's a miracle!" Christie said.

"…be careful! Let him get up on his own…" Hwoarang stated gently.

"He will be okay…won't he?" That was Xiao's voice.

"You heard what the paramedics said…that was enough electricity to kill a man…it's a miracle that he's even breathing." The typical scientific jargon of Julia.

Suddenly, Jamie remembered his brother…and what Kazuya had said;

"_You want your brother back so bad don't you? Meet me in at the Hon Maru Temple in two hours! You'll heal by that time, and we can finish this!"_

The revelation made Jamie's eyes shoot open, and he moaned in a mix of agony and anguish. He quickly moved to sit up…but found the world spinning, so he lay back down.

"Easy, easy there!" Julia soothed.

"Don't try to get up man, you're a wreck." Steve warned.

"It doesn't matter…I need to save my brother! I need to-" Jamie struggled as Hwoarang and Steve attempted to hold him down.

Jamie struggled free, and got out of bed. He wasn't wearing a shirt, or pants, only a pair of boxers with rubber duckies on them…they seemed so silly and childish to him now…when was he going to learn to dress more like an adult? The whole idea of dying in a pair of rubber duckie boxers sounded completely idiotic, and he would probably be known as the only Nephilim in history to die in a pair of joke boxers.

"Jamie, think reasonably! You're too weak to fight Kazuya now! You saw what he's done to you! Let yourself heal, and we'll get him tomorrow!" Xiaoyu argued.

"He has my brother. He told me to meet him in two hours and that's what I'm gonna do." Jamie replied simply as he rummaged through his bags.

"Jamie…wait a minute! We're not ready yet! I mean, you're still weak, and we haven't found another way to stop Devil…without killing you in the process!" Julia exclaimed.

Jamie pulled on a pair of baggy, green cargo pants, a gray t-shirt, and a black hoodie with the Trans Am., logo emblazoned on the front.

"Then that's what we'll do…" Jamie replied calmly.

He reached under his bed, and pulled out the lacquered Chinese box. The weapons in there were compact…and would do fine for close combat…but would be entirely useless against Devil.

"Jamie! Wait, it doesn't have to be like this!" Hwoarang said desperately.

"Yes it does Hwoarang! I'd think that you of all people would understand me! This is my life, and this is how I will die!! This is my destiny!!" He shouted…then his voice softened a little. "I've been so selfish these past three years…all I did was think about how I could somehow bypass my own fate…I should have just accepted it…like all the other Nephilim before me…you can never change fate…well, now I have a chance to save the whole world! I can literally, give the gift that, I guess, keeps on giving…now, if you won't help me, then I'll just go after Kazuya myself!!" Jamie exclaimed.

All was silent for a minute…until Xiao finally broke it:

"The Hon Maru temple is in the forest behind Mishima Manor..." She stated.

"It's probably going to be heavily guarded, so we'd better stop off at one of my men's weapons shop and pick up a few things." Hwoarang added.

"It might be in our best interest to track Jin down too…I mean, he lived there for a couple of year's right?" Steve asked.

"He won the tournament…so he's probably on his way back to the hotel now…those interviews can be a bitch." Christie added with folded arms.

"Good plan…if I can't kill Devil in time before my energy drains out, then he's the only one who's strong enough to take him down." Jamie stated.

"A coordinated attack would probably be best. If the mansion is guarded, then we could take out the sentries, while Jamie and Jin run over to the Hon Maru temple." Julia stated as if she were a drill sergeant.

"Alright. If we're all good with that plan then let's mount up!" Jamie stated.

(An hour later…)

Jin had caught up with Jamie's little vigilante twenty minutes down the road. The group had been outfitted with new weapons…courtesy of Hwoarang. Crossbows, swords, and daggers were passed around between the assemblage of friends. Jin and Jamie headed up the small cadre…and Jamie honestly thought that they were like 18th century villagers going to storm Dracula's castle like in all those silent, black and white movies from the 1920's.

They walked with limited conversation between them…everyone felt the weight of the mission…of the world on their shoulders…if they were to fail, then…well, they all could use their imagination.

They didn't have to walk far to get into Mishima Manor. It was near the hotel so that Kazuya could make the trek from the hotel to him home. The mansion was huge, and it towered over them like a watchful parent. Lights were on, but it didn't look like anybody was home.

"How many rooms are in here?" Jamie asked.

"137," Jin replied. "The best way to get to Hon Maru would be through the solarium on the third floor."

"Really? I was thinking that we could just take the back door." Jamie stated sarcastically.

Hwoarang whistled. "Man, 137 rooms? How do you rich people find your way around?"

"It can be kinda confusing…I mean, I lived there for awhile, and I was still getting lost." Xiaoyu added.

"Great…did I mention how much I'm NOT in the mood for mazes and puzzles?" Christie asked.

"Don't worry pet, I'll protect you." Steve said, protectively wrapping his arm around Christie's shoulder.

"Well, let's get going then." Julia said.

The seven friends walked through the door, and into the very center of hell itself…

--------

The mansion's foyer was dark and quiet. Potted plants tastefully adorned the front hall. The manor itself was an oddity as far as interior design went. It combined both western and modern influences with traditional Japanese decorum. One would think that the two combined styles would clash and look tacky…but Mishima Manor seemed to carry it off tastefully.

Seeing the tatami floor mats, and the low tables made Jamie somewhat nostalgic for the house he grew up in for the first five years of his life in Yokosuka.

_Hm...when this is over, it might be nice if Justin and I could visit our old house…_

Jamie quickly shook the thought out of his head as he began to remember the purpose of this mission…and that success meant his own demise.

"Jin, where do we-" Jamie didn't finish before the doors around them flew open…Jamie whirled around in time to see well over a dozen people pour out of the rooms…and even more run down the stairs. They all wore uniforms in varying colors of red, white, green, and blue. But the most distinguishing feature on all of them were motorcycle helmets.

There were so many of them…they were like ants! Soundlessly, they began to fight. At first Jamie worried that the others wouldn't be able to deal with them but they weren't that hard to fight. In fact, they were actually relatively easy to deal with…truly; Jamie had fought zombies that were tougher than these guys.

"Who the hell are these guys?!" Jamie asked as he crescent kicked one…the helmet cracked, and he heard his jaw break.

"These were my Grandfather's elite guard…The Tekken Force, but I guess they operate under my father now!" Jin proclaimed.

"There are so many!" Christie wailed.

"I ain't your buddy! Back up off!" Hwoarang stated brusquely to one who grabbed him from behind.

He head butted the one that grabbed him, and flipped his attacker off.

"Are they human?" Xiao asked.

"Let's find out!" Jamie replied.

He popped the cork on a holy water bottle and threw it at the nearest attacker…the only thing that hurt the Tekken Force member were the glass shards, the water only got him wet.

"Wow, guess they're human…talk about a change of pace." Steve said sarcastically.

"Don't kill them!" Jamie commanded.

So, everyone took special care to knock the Tekken Force members out instead of killing them…but they still kept coming. A solid twenty minutes had gone by, and the seven friends were still fighting. The Tekken Force came in swarms…like ants to a picnic…or piranhas to a drowning cow.

"They're trying to delay us!" Julia called.

"They're too many of these guys here! I don't wanna waste time with fights we can avoid! I need to get my brother!" Jamie said in anguish.

"Then you and Jin go…we'll take care of these guys!" Xiao replied.

"Are you sure?" Jamie asked.

"They aren't so tough!" Hwoarang stated as he back kicked one…knocking him, and several others through a paper screen and into a wall.

Jin and Jamie cut a path for themselves as they ran up the stairs. Xiao was right, they had put a dent in the army…in fact, less and less were coming, and it looked like the others had the upper hand.

"Let's go!" Jamie said to Jin.

And so, the Nephilim followed the young Japanese man up the spiral staircase and towards the solarium.

-----

Thirty minutes later, Jamie found himself running at Nephilim speed through the woods. His sneakered feet splashed through ankle deep streams, and crunched through snow and fallen leaves. A full moon was out tonight, and snow fell delicately on the ground. It was pristine out here, and if circumstances were different, then Jamie might have liked to stop and enjoy the quiet, stillness of nature on this winter's night.

Jin had a good mile or so on him. Back at the mansion, Jamie had been attacked by a group of ten or so Tekken Force members. They had tackled him to the ground…and Jin had moved to help, but Jamie refused. Afterall, he was counting on Jin to save his brother should anything happen.

So, Jin had left Jamie behind, but it didn't matter, Jamie had bested the warriors, and followed Jin's trail. He knew he was getting close to the temple for several reasons. The mighty oaks around him, boasted holy ropes around their trunks, but on a more metaphysical level…Jamie could feel the vibrations emanating from the temple. However, unlike the temple that he saw in the Tokyo cemetery, that, despite the evil intentions surrounding the place, gave off pleasant, good vibrations…this temple, gave off foreboding ones…and they only got stronger as he began to get closer and closer to it. As Jamie was running, he came across a red Shinto Gate.

The temple resided on a steep hill. Stone steps led from the temple, down to where Jamie stood. The bad vibrations reflected off the temple in waves, and hit Jamie in hot, humid waves.

_God only knows what those Mishima's have been doing here over the years…_

"AAAAUUUUUURRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Jamie heard the ear shattering scream of pain all the way down here…and it was Justin's…

_Justin…oh God…please…please hang on!_

Wasting no time, Jamie ran up the stairs and into the temple. He kicked the door down so hard that it flung off its hinges, and clattered into the center of the room. Jin Kazama stood with his back turned from the entrance. He didn't seem to flinch, or turn around to see what the commotion was about. Around him, lay the dazed bodies of ten Tekken Force members…Justin lay in a corner, his eyes closed…Jamie's face paled, but before he could say anything, Jin interrupted.

"Don't worry…he's not dead." He stated simply.

"What?" Jamie asked exasperatingly.

"I couldn't stop them from breaking his arm…I'm sorry for that, but he is alive…he fainted from the pain. They broke it in the most painful way possible."

"I see that," Jamie glanced at the break. "It'll heal fine though. Thank you Jin. Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me just yet," Jin stated.

Suddenly, Jamie didn't like where this was going. After affirming that his brother was alright, he glanced around the temple. It was rather spacious as far as Shinto Temples went, and next to a closed off altar, stood a rather elaborate statue of some God…he wasn't sure if it was Buddha or not, because from what he learned in World Religions, Buddhism and Shintoism were two, totally different religions.

The statue's eyes were stained with blood that had made a crimson puddle on the floor pretty close to where Jin was standing.

"He's in there in case you're wandering…he's waiting for you. All you have to do is stand in the puddle for a few seconds, and it'll teleport you to his dimension." Jin said…he still hadn't turned around.

"Thanks Jin…if you could watch my brother for me, I'll go in there and deal with him now-"

"No. No you won't." Jin said in his creepy, monotone voice.

He turned and stared at Jamie now. For a second, Jamie thought that he would see fangs slide down, but nothing had happened…he definantly wasn't a vampire…and he had helped Jamie out all this time…so, what was Jin doing?"

"Jin. You're scaring me-"

"Jamie. Don't take this the wrong way. I like you. I like you a lot, but I can't let you cross over and fight my father." He began to advance on Jamie now.

"Jin, that's not your father…your father, is not there anymore. Devil is all that's in there now." Jamie stated.

"NO!" Jin shouted. He shouted so loud that the rafters shook. "He is in there Jamie! HE IS! I know he is! He…he…tried to control it in the last tournament…I know that he's still there! Please, let me deal with this. This is a family issue!"

By now, the others had caught up with Jin and Jamie, and were standing in the threshold of the temple…yet, Jamie and Jin didn't notice.

"I can't let you kill him…so please, please wait here…I don't want to fight you…you're my friend and have proven yourself to me time after time…but, if you don't let me go, then I will have to fight you." Jin stood in front of Jamie now.

He stood several feet away, waiting for The Nephilim's answer…

Jamie was speechless, and he felt like he had been slapped in the face. He couldn't hate Jin for his motives…he was still clinging to the hope that his father was there…inside, struggling somehow to break free of Devil's grasp…Nephilim were never, under any circumstances to take a human's life…but, Kazuya was a special case. Test results (what little they had) turned up inconclusive to whether the real Kazuya was actually still there, a prisoner in his own body, or if Devil had fully taken over.

If Kazuya was still there, then of course, Jamie was going to do everything in his power to save him…if not then…

"Jin," Jamie said slowly, and carefully. "If you are going to stand in the way, then fine, let's fight." Jamie said as he, and Jin, dropped into their fighter's stances.

Author's Note: I KNOW!!!! I KNOW!!! I'm evil for not continuing, but I really don't know how to portray this fight at the present time, and it seemed like a great junction to end this chappie…anyway, thankers, and please read and review!!!


	30. Chapter 29: End of Days

Author's Note: Um…not much to say here…I'm sorry if this chapter isn't very stellar or anything…I'm sorry, I just got some bad news like, ten minutes ago, and I thought that maybe if I wrote another chapter, I'd feel better or something…so, if this chapter isn't that great, please don't hate me for it…

"Jin," Jamie said slowly, and carefully. "If you are going to stand in the way, then fine, let's fight."

Jamie assumed his fighter's stance and blinked back tears.

All was quiet in Hon Maru temple. Xiao, Steve, Julia, Christie, and Hwoarang all stood in stunned silence. They wanted to help…to scream at these two accomplished fighters to stop…and yet, they found themselves standing motionless and wide eyed.

Both had their reasons for being here, and neither would back down. The two warriors stared at eachother silently for several seconds…although it seemed like an eternity.

Finally, Jin screamed and lashed out at Jamie. He was wearing strange, red gloves, and when they hit Jamie, crimson electricity would course through the Nephilim's veins. The blows hurt, and felt to him like an unholy combination of fire and electricity. Jamie screamed in agony and clutched his stomach, where the blows had connected.

"Is that all you got?" Jin asked softly.

He left Jamie on the floor, and walked towards the blood portal…Jamie glanced up, and uttered a primal, battle cry that he had no idea he had, and lunged at Jin…tackling the dark haired Japanese young man to the ground. Jin swung around, and the two wrestled on the ground in true Judo fashion.

Jin was on top of Jamie, and attempted to put him in a choke hold…some kind of hold that would knock the Nephilim out…but Jamie wasn't going to go down that easily. Planting his foot into Jin's firm chest, he flung the demon spawn off of him. Jin was flung through the wooden bamboo railing with a loud clatter. Jamie was now aware of screaming from his friends.

They begged for the two to stop…to desist…anything to stop the fighting.

And Jamie wanted nothing more then to do just that…but he knew that this couldn't be worked out. Unless Jin would back down…and it didn't look like that was going to happen…still, Jamie had to try.

"Jin, listen…I lost my parents too…they were killed in a car wreck and-" Jamie was interrupted by Jin's side kick.

The kick caused Jamie to hydroplane into the Shinto Temple's altar…the two were now fighting in the holiest of places in the forsaken temple…only priests were allowed access to beyond the gated area…and if any lay people ventured past that point not only was it a mortal sin…but some say that the gods would curse the unfortunate victim.

_Oh well, I'm gonna die anyway…if Jin doesn't kill me first…so, what's another curse?_

Kicks and punches were delivered in rapid succession. Jin's punched with the rapidity of a machine gun, and Jamie attempted to dodge as many of the blows as he could. His vision turned blurry as Jin hook punched Jamie in the temple…the same place that he was punched that night three weeks ago.

Had it really been only three weeks? It felt more like three centuries…

"For once Jamie, this has nothing to do with you! So why don't you stop sticking your nose were it doesn't belong!" Jin yelled harshly.

He hook kicked the Nephilim's dazed form. Jamie spun through the air and landed several feet away. Jin began to walk over to Jamie's supine form and stared down at the fallen angel.

"Never send an angel to do a devil's job." He stated cruelly.

That did it. Jamie roared in a mixture of pain and anguish. The Nephilim did a kick up; Jin and Jamie launched into a dazzling array of kicks and punches. Jamie blocked the attacks he could…but there were many he couldn't. Fighting with Jin was like nothing that Jamie had ever experienced. True, Jamie had trained with him, but apparently, Jin had been holding back all this time.

Jamie had trouble keeping pace with Jin…he was faster then Hwoarang, but somewhat slower then Kazuya had been. Combinations were unleashed in rapid successions. Jin managed to land a jumping front snap kick on Jamie, and the Nephilim staggered backwards. Jin moved to punch Jamie hard in the face, but Steve latched onto him from behind.

"Jamie! No worries mate, I got your back!" Steve called.

Jamie took advantage of the situation by performing two punches, and a spinning elbow. All this happened in a matter of seconds, and in those seconds Jin had managed to fling Steve off of him. Jin was tiring now, and so was Jamie…but the Nephilim couldn't afford to act on it.

Even if he managed to stop Jin, he still had to face Kazuya…and ultimately perform the Ascending Angel ritual…if his energy was drained, then he wouldn't be able to hold onto the angel transformation for very long…

Jamie ran at Jin and launched into a complicated combination of two rapid punches, an inside crescent kick and a leaping axe kick. Each blow connected in rapid succession and Jamie could tell that Jin was almost done.

"Listen to me braintrust! When someone has the Devil Gene inside of them, and the Devil side is in control, then the human side dies! The Devil has all the same memories but it is not your father!" Jamie screamed harshly.

"NO! The scrolls! The tomes! My…the books…" Jin shouted.

He punched Jamie, but the Nephilim wouldn't let it slow him down. Jin grabbed Jamie, and attempted to grapple with him. Jamie broke the hold, and headbutted the Japanese man. Jin reeled backwards, and Jamie closed the gap with a jumping side kick to the chest. The two continued fighting, but Jamie's mind was elsewhere…he began to focus on the past three weeks, and all the good things that Jin had done for him.

He had saved him from Lee's mansion, he had given Jamie a pair of shoes when he hadn't had any…the two had laughed, the two had trained, and the two had strategized. They had hung out, and Jin had risked his life countless times to save Jamie, and the others…selflessly dedicating his life to the eradication of evil…selflessly fulfilling his promise to a fallen friend to protect his successor.

_Mark…_

Jamie roundhouse kicked Jin in the face.

_Please,_

Jin attempted to ax kick Jamie, he dodged, and lightly Jin in the ribs.

_Forgive me…_

Jin kicked Jamie in the face…down but not out, Jamie ducked another punishing back kick, and while on the ground, lashed his foot out. The blow connected, and Jin fell.

_For what I'm about to do…_

Jin leapt up, but Jamie was ready. Jin moved to punch Jamie, but at the last second, Jamie grabbed the fist, and performed a hap ki do pivot…he snapped the wrist.

Jin doubled over in agony, and Jamie leapt on the ground with him. He wrapped his arms around Jin and put him in a sleeper hold. Jin futilely tried to stop him…but to no avail…in several seconds, Jin was out cold.

"I'm sorry," Jamie whispered compassionately. He looked down at Jin's fallen form…and a single tear slid down his face, and onto Jin's. He then glanced up at his friends, who stood around him in shocked silence. "Please…try to understand…"

"Jamie…" Xiao said breathlessly.

"I couldn't help it…he…he wouldn't let me go…and it's all about the mission…" Jamie sputtered.

"Jamie, it's the temple that's causing this reaction. Devil is a soul split in two…Jin is the other part…his other half…Jin couldn't control it…" Julia tried explaining.

"No…it wasn't that…it was Jin…the real Jin…he didn't want me to kill his father…" Jamie almost whispered. "…Well…I vow to do everything in my power to make that so! If Kazuya is still in there then I will get him back!" Jamie made a fist in front of him…and squeezed it hard.

"Jamie, please, please be careful…" Xiao pleaded.

She hugged him then, a deep embrace. "Whatever happens to you…I promise that I will always remember what you've done for me…and for the world."

"Jamie…you are truly the bravest warrior I've ever met…I am honored to have known you." Hwoarang said.

"Whatever happens…just promise me, that all of you will take care of my brother." Jamie stated.

Slowly, he walked towards his brother's unconscious form. He pulled an envelope out of the pocket of his pants. It was crammed with papers…apparently, it was a detailed letter. Jamie had written it in the wee hours of the morning…when he was too tired to continue training, and too jittery to sleep. It contained everything Jamie felt…including the things that Jamie had kept from his brother.

"It wasn't right for me to lie to you…I'll always be grateful for what you've done for me…" Jamie whispered.

He knelt down, and kissed his brother's forehead…Justin stirred in his sleep, but did not wake…perhaps that was all for the best. He drank in his brother's familiar scents of fast food restaurants, red zone deodorant, and waffles…the combination made him nostalgic for his home...and countless memories flooded Jamie's mind. He put the envelope, in the hand that wasn't broken, and stood up. He gave one last, look at his brother, and began to walk slowly towards the bloody portal.

He stood in the pool and waited…waited for the inevitable. He turned, and gave a small, half smile too his friends…the girls were crying, and the guys were holding their tears back.

_Alright Jamie…it's time…time to do what every Nephilim has to eventually do…time for me to give the ultimate gift…_

Blinding, crimson light shot up from the puddle, and Jamie felt himself slowly sinking…sinking into the darkness…sinking into the Devil's realm…and sinking into the final battle…

Author's Note: Once again, I'm sorry this chapter was a big disappointment…like I stated before, there's been this big family problem that just came up…once I started writing I couldn't stop…I'm sorry if the fight with Jin sucked, please don't hate me for it. Read and Review please, but please don't flame me…peace out and much love to everyone.

p.s. by the way, I wrote this chapter cuz I was afraid that if I didn't, it'd be a long time before I'd write another chapter again…and I couldn't leave you guys hanging like that…


	31. Chapter 30: Armageddon

Author's Note: Hey everybody! Sorry for the spot of drama in the last entry…you know that family crisis I spoke of? Well, it's been averted so I guess that's a good thing…Once again, I'm here to give you another chapter of T5AAD (wasn't that cool? I got the idea from shadowsin…its soo much fun to abbreviate story titles!) Anyway, this is it folks! The final battle! Hope you enjoy it!

As Jamie passed through the blood portal he was amazed at how…thick (for lack of a better word) it felt. Normally, fresh blood such as this was rather thin, but to Jamie, and it felt like he was sinking in some kind of viscous tar. He felt like he had been floating for hours…yet, in reality, it had only been about three seconds.

He landed with a thud on a rather hard tile floor. He glanced up and around at the place where the portal had dropped him…he seemed to be in some kind of…cathedral or something. The whole area was covered with a strange, purplish fog. Jamie slowly stood up, and glanced around. The only illumination came from strategically placed candle sconces giving the cathedral a sort of "holy gloom" to it.

There wasn't time for sight seeing however…Jamie could sense the evil in this place…it was Devil's realm…the whole area reeked of evil…and the air was thick with it. The cathedral had a sort of dark beauty to it, even though the air was thick with malevolent vibes.

Devil was here…watching, and waiting for the Nephilim…all Jamie had to do was find him.

He walked through the endless corridor, heart pounding in his chest. It was so loud that Jamie could swear he could hear it echoing off the walls. It felt strange here…there must have been a magical damper on the place. Jamie felt as if he was walking in a dream. He seemed to be moving through molasses or sand.

Just when Jamie thought that he couldn't take the waiting anymore, he saw a shadow standing in the mist. It looked to be a man…he had his arms across his chest.

"You finally made it…I was wondering how long it would take you to show up." The gravely voice of Kazuya Mishima stated…his voice echoed throughout the barren halls.

"Well, I'm never late for an apocalypse." Jamie stated as he continued to walk cautiously towards Kazuya.

"I must admit however, that I am a little disappointed that you're here…I was so hoping that my son would be here in your stead."

"What can I say? I'm like herpes man; ya think you get rid of me…then WHAM! I'm back!"

"Hm…quite…it doesn't matter though…once I'm done with you I'll be seeing little Jin soon enough."

"You'd like to think that wouldn't you? Sorry, I'm the party crasher for this little monster mash.." Jamie replied.

"So, you've broken the codes to Lee's disk I imagine; judging by the ridiculous accessories that you're wearing you've figured out how to perform the Ascending Angel Ritual."

Jamie looked down discreetly at his wrist…which was adorned with a beaded bracelet that had been Patrick's. The beads were silver, and meant to radiate inner peace…they were quite popular when Patrick was alive…in fact, Jamie had a few of them. He also wore Baek's dog tags (and the Seal of Metatron) around his neck (however they were worn over the hooded jacket). The Sovereign's Dagger was around his hip, with the five rubies in it, and, strapped to his thigh, he had Mark's bowie knife.

Julia had managed to save Patrick's bracelet after he had saved her from Ogre…it had fallen on the floor when Patrick had died…and Jin had managed to save Mark's favorite weapon when he had to kill him. Jamie felt a rush of adrenaline course through his body…and for a second, he thought he heard unintelligible whispers around him…but they left quickly enough.

"That's right. I've figured out how to do the ritual, so basically, that translates too: I'm going to mop the fucking floor with you!" Jamie stated with his hands across his chest.

"Really? Well then, we shall see!" Kazuya shouted.

Suddenly, Kazuya's eyes began to glow with a crimson, bloody fire, and he immediately locked eyes with Jamie's cobalt blue ones. Unexpectedly, Jamie felt himself being rocketed forward at alarming speed! He landed with a thud against one of the stone archways.

"Hmph…is that all you got? I barely showed you my real power." Kazuya taunted.

That's when Jamie began to notice that Kazuya's voice was changing… it sounded low, and even more menacing then it normally was. It also echoed throughout the halls, and seemed to carry several pitches at once. Immediately, a purple light shot up from beneath him and in seconds, the demon possessing Kazuya transformed into its true appearance.

Jamie was scared…terrified even, but he refused to back down. Slowly, he got up, and dropped into his fighter's stance.

"Well…look at you…a big, purple, demon, aren't you a walking penis metaphor?" He smirked.

Devil spread his huge, bat like wings and charged at Jamie. The Nephilim dodged the first sweep.

"So, did I miss gay pride day in Hell or something?"

Devil roared in fury, and shot his purple laser beam out of his third eye. Jamie ran as fast as he could away from the encroaching beam. He leapt onto a pillar, turned, and while still in the air, lashed his foot out to kick the hellspawn.

The blow connected against the top of Devil's skull. Jamie hit him with enough force that Devil's face slammed against the tile floor. Stunned, Jamie leapt on Devil's back and began pounding his fists into the back of his skull. The attacks only worked for about twenty seconds, but Jamie would take anything he could against the evil incarnate.

Devil roared in a mixture of frustration and pain, and Jamie was flung through the air from some kind of painful, invisible, supernatural energy. While in the air, Devil leapt into the air, and grabbed the Nephilim. Devil's bat wings echoed throughout the cathedral, as were Jamie's groans.

Devil had grabbed Jamie by the waist, and the Nephilim struggled in the demon's grasp. He kicked and punched, and lashed out against Devil…but to no avail. Devil's grip was a strong one, and Jamie didn't think he could get out of it. The hellspawn grinned sadistically and tightened his grip on the Nephilim's hips.

Jamie groaned in agony, but continued to lash his feet out in kicks.

"So, where are you're little angel friends now?" Devil asked.

His forehead slit open, and Jamie's eyes widened in fear of the purple light starting to form.

_NO! It can't end this way! It can't! Guys…Nephilim? This is the latest one calling! If you could come right about now that'd be awesome! No rush or anything!_

Suddenly, Jamie felt a warm tingling start to take over his body…it came from the Seal of Metratron and worked its way throughout his body. His heart thudded noisily in his chest, and he felt adrenaline course through him.

_I've got a feeling that-_

Immediately, everything around Jamie froze…even Devil. Quickly, he glanced around, and saw…three…people floating next to him. The first was a tall, lanky, young man. He had pale white skin, and wore blue basketball shorts, and a tank top. He was handsome in a unique sort of way. He had bleach blonde hair, cropped short, and put into a punky sort of Mohawk.

He had a nose ring, eyebrow, and lip piercing…he had green, doe eyes…

The next, one was a youngish looking Italian teenager. He wore the Mishima Highschool gym uniform. A pair of black jogging pants with the logo on them, and a vertical, white stripe running up the legs. A powder blue t-shirt with the words: Mishima High School Physical Education was emblazoned on the chest.

In the space where he was to write his name, he had simply put: Jesus.

Had it been any other circumstance, then Jamie would have laughed…but right now he was too freaked out to do anything but stare.

The third and final person was a Korean looking man with brown hair tied in a low ponytail. He wore a pair of skin tight jeans, and a vest. He looked like he had a tough exterior, but once one scratched the surface; they would find that he was truly a caring individual.

"You called us here?" The Korean man asked.

And it was strange, Jamie could not hear their actual voices, but he could hear and feel them in the corners of his mind…and what startled him, was the fact that he answered them back.

"Yes. I am Jamie Parker. The latest in a proud, warrior line! I call upon you, Baek Doo San, one of the longest living Nephilim, whom Toshin had killed…I call upon Patrick Horton! The Nephilim who had stopped the millennium prophecies from happening…it is you, who was killed by Ogre…and I call upon Mark Baker…the Nephilim whose death by Heihachi Mishima's henchmen have spawned me…the latest…Jamie Parker!"

Jamie had no idea where the speech had come from…but…it felt right…it felt like the perfect thing to say to these great, fallen warriors.

"Please, I summoned those who have lost their lives in this tournament! It is time to put an end to the killing! Please, join with me! Merge with this living body, and together we will attain the perfect form needed to defeat this evil and save this man!"

Mark glanced up at the sky: "He has allowed for us to aid you…he has forseen this meeting…and yet the outcome is still clouded."

Suddenly, Jamie felt a strange…thickness about his body. One by one, the fallen Nephilim merged with him. And Jamie knew them…he was them…he retained their memories…and experienced their lives all in an instant. He shared their hopes, their dreams, their triumphs, and their fears. He loved their lovers, and hated their enemies.

He was with them when they picked up their swords, their crossbows, their cudgels…or sometimes, their bare fists…and Jamie felt pain…truly immense pain…he felt their deaths, as well as their awakening into the world of the Nephilim.

The sheer, awesome, power that he felt was immense…and Jamie fell into a state of euphoria…he felt connected…connected to each and every Nephilim who had ever walked the earth. The sun rose in the Roman Coliseum during one of the hideous Gladiator games, and it set on the French Revolution.

Jamie saw a lone young man protecting his village from a werewolf attack on the Russian Steppes, and in the next instant, saw another Nephilim in Victorian dress chopping the heads off of vampires…

An awesome, yellow light exuded from Jamie, and two tears fell down his face. Just by wishing to be free of Devil's grasp, he triggered an explosion of raw, yellow light that rocketed the two across the cathedral. Time was back to normal now, and Devil looked stunned…and afraid.

He should be.

Jamie's eyes had turned completely yellow…they were crackling with divine energy…his hair had grown an inch or two longer, and about two shades lighter. His cargo pants and jacket disappeared on threads of gold…replaced by a spotless, blindingly white, knee length kilt. His beat up sneakers were replaced with a pair of brown, leather, Ganymede sandals…the straps laced intricately up his calves…finally, a pair of snow white wings emerged from Jamie's back, and folded behind him.

Jamie smiled serenely at Devil, and raised his weapon…The Sovereign's Dagger, which had a pillar of white light shooting out of it…like a broad sword.

"This is it Hellspawn! You don't have a chance!" It was the combined voices of Patrick, Mark, Baek, and…Jamie.

"We shall see! I'll enjoy plucking the wings off of you like a fly's!" Devil screamed.

And the two lunched at eachother…literally, this was a battle of good and evil. The two slammed against eachother, and the opposing polarities of energies from the two shook the walls of the cathedral and crumbled the archways. They parried, dodged, kicked and punched. Jamie swung his sword, and the blows that were inflicted on Devil were critical.

Together, the four warriors battled with Devil, and while the demon launched attacks that would be devastating to any Nephilim, Jamie in his Angel form seemed to merely treat the attacks as a minor annoyance.

He was going to win this battle. He could feel it.

And yet…Jamie could also feel his energy waning…he could feel himself getting numb…and having his strength slowly, but surely drained from him. Devil took to the air, but Jamie was ready for it…or rather, it was Mark. He broke the sword off its chain, and chucked it at Devil like a spear. The sword plunged through Devil's back, and while he faltered, he didn't fall from the sky.

Baek decided to take matters into his own hands and chased the demon through the air. What went on next was a deadly game of mercy. Devil was weak, and he was losing…he knew it, as did Jamie and the others.

"Give it up Devil! I will not allow you to have this body any longer!" Jamie screamed through gritted teeth.

"NEVER!" Devil screamed.

Patrick took control of the body now, and wrenched the ethereal blade deeper into Devil…he screamed in pure agony, and his grip on the angelic form was faltering.

"AAARRRRRRGGGHHHH!" The four Nephilim screamed together.

With the last of their combined energy, Jamie, Baek, Mark, and Patrick enveloped themselves and Devil in pure, white, healing energy. The exorcismal energy had the power of a nuclear bomb…and Devil had nowhere to hide. The blast rattled the walls, and brought the ancient pillars and candelabras crashing to the ground.

The dimension that Devil had crafted was slowly unraveling itself now that its commander was losing its hold on its host body. Then, the blast was over…and all was quiet. In his fading vision, Jamie was aware that Devil was gone…and all that remained was Kazuya Mishima.

Jamie felt the spirits of the other Nephilim begin to leave him.

"The job is done…we must go…" Baek said.

"But wait! Don't go! I'm scared!" Jamie cried out telepathically.

"Don't worry Jamie, you'll be with us soon enough." Mark said with a comforting grin.

"Be brave Jamie." Patrick said warmly.

And now, Jamie was aware of falling…the heightened level of consciousness he had felt was gone now…as was the state of euphoria…he hit the tile floor softly…as if he was a dead leaf falling off a branch…as did Kazuya.

Jamie Parker felt exhausted as he lay on the ground. He felt all the wounds from the battle with Devil…and he wanted it to be over…

_I'm so tired…I'm so very tired…_

However, he refused to fall asleep yet…he glanced over at Kazuya Mishima's body…Jamie had to make sure…he had to make sure everything was alright…he had to know if he had saved the man…Through fading vision, Jamie struggled as he crawled the several feet towards Kazuya Mishima's body.

He was breathing.

He would live.

There was a new hope.

Jamie's eyes cried tears of joy, and he firmly grasped Kazuya's hand with his.

_I did it…you get another chance at life Kazuya Mishima…it won't be easy…but know this…I forgive you for what happened…now, please, be a good father to your son Jin…he misses you so…_

Jamie looked up at the sky…and he saw all the cosmos light up around him. He saw nebulas and star fields…planets and asteroid belts…nothing looked as beautiful as this…he smiled and uttered a small laugh…he had done it! He did it!

_Justin…know this…I love you and I appreciate all you've done…I'll be watching you, and the others always…_

Jamie gave one final look at the sky, and turned to Kazuya's sleeping form.

"_Good luc-"_

Then, all was dark and quiet…..

Author's Note: THIS IS NOT THE END! I HAVE A DELICIOUS EPILOGUE! Okay, just wanted to clarify that little part…anyways, hope you liked this chappie! Sorry it took so long to update, but I wanted to make it special and I've been working, and reworking it all week! Hope you like it, and please review!


	32. Epilogue 1: Ascending Angel

Author's Note: Okay…this is part one of my epilogue…enjoy!

The world was unraveling itself…soon it would be no more and the bodies that inhabited this plane of reality would be brought back to the realm of the others. The whole cathedral was silent…dead calm…the only sounds came from Kazuya Mishima's soft breathing. Twenty minutes had passed since Devil had been vanquished, and now, Jamie and Kazuya lay there, waiting.

One waiting to die, and another, waiting to live.

Technically…clinically, Jamie Parker had died exactly eighteen minutes ago…but spiritually…well, that was a different story all together. They both lay on the floor waiting. Kazuya, for the world to unravel and to awaken, and Jamie…well, he was waiting for Her.

His soul still inhabited its body and it waited to be escorted to the Other Side.

Suddenly, a shaft of light pierced through the gloom of the church and silently, She appeared. Her dazzling white robes and majestic wings lit up the darkness like a beacon of hope. She was pretty in a gentle, kind sort of way.

She had light, brown hair, tied in a bun. Several tendrils of hair hung down the sides of her creamy, pale face. She had crystal clear blue eyes, and a smile that exuded gentleness and warmth.

She had had many names during the centuries and been called many different things…but, lately, she had been known simply as…Angel. She had been alive once, like these mortals had, but it had been so long ago that she had completely forgotten…forgotten about her mortal life.

Not that it really mattered, she was happy working for Him, working for the Creator. For the past twenty or so years, she had been assigned to watch the King of Iron Fist Tournament. She watched over the competitors…and appeared to some of the more sensitive ones.

She had been assigned to protect the fighters, and watch the Mishima family…particularly the men with the Devil Genes. The younger man…Jin, had managed to control the Devil within him, and now Kazuya was…free.

Angel's feet lightly touched down onto the floor. She glanced over at the young man…holding hands with Kazuya. She found the sight touching.

_Another half breed…_ She thought.

She didn't mean it as a derogatory statement, it's just that, on the other side, Nephilim were known by this name. She shook her head sadly…she had seen so much death watching over this tournament…she had seen so many of these young warriors lives cut short not only during this tournament, but also, throughout the years.

Time mattered not to her, a day passed as quickly as a year did. To her, and her kind, time was moot.

Another had yet to be called, that would only happen once she had freed this young one's soul from its mortal coil.

Angel knew his name…it was Jamie…Jamie Parker. Just by looking at him she knew him. She knew everything about him. His body was covered in bruises. He had suffered two black eyes, a broken nose, and a split lip, just to name a few. His blond hair was died a light pink with blood, and scattered around the floor.

He wore a wrinkled, blood stained white kilt, and brown sandals.

"The Ascending Angel Ritual…" Angel whispered.

He was a handsome young man in an off beat way…even during the throes of death; he still managed to look serene.

The world was unraveling fast. Angel had to hurry; she didn't have much time left. Angel began to put her hand on Jamie's forehead, and murmured a divine incantation.

It was meant to lose Jamie's soul, so she could take it to Heaven.

However, she was interrupted by a blinding white light.

Quickly, Angel stood, and dropped into a fighter's stance. She assumed that it was an _oni_ trying to ambush her. It wouldn't be the first time this had happened. When Patrick had died, she had to fight off several demons from dragging the dead Nephilim's soul into Hell.

She expected to find a horned, snarling, ugly demon…what she saw was an achingly beautiful Japanese woman. She wore a long, simple white dress, with a matching head band and shoes. The outfit was simple, but the way she wore it, and how it clung to her body, it looked like the most extravagant outfit ever created.

Her name was Jun Kazama; the deceased wife of Kazuya Mishima…also, one of the most spiritually in tuned people that Angel had ever seen. Since her untimely death at the hands of Toshin, she had made an appearance to her son…pleading for him not to kill Heihachi…even though he did wind up dying shortly after Jin left the temple.

"Angel…stop!" Jun gently commanded.

Angel did so. "Jun,"

"Don't take him…he is…he is special." Jun said simply.

"Why not? He has performed the Ascending Angel ritual. His strength is gone. He is what the mortals call "clinically dead" there is nothing left for us to do…he deserves to cross over." Angel argued.

"He deserves another chance at living," Jun began, she glanced down at Jamie's body. "I appeared to him several weeks ago. He's…he's different from the other Nephilim. When I came to him, he had been thrown off an eight story building and survived!"

"Yes; after you lent him your strength." Angel retorted.

"Normally I would let you take him…but, while I lent him my powers…I looked into his soul…I saw his future…or…at least his potential future…" Jun knelt down and gently brushed a strand of hair off of his forehead.

"And what did you see?" Angel asked.

"It was cloudy…but I get the impression…I get the impression that he will do something wonderful for the world…even more wonderful then this. He has the potential to become a great warrior…one of the last great warriors for mankind. We humans are fighting a losing battle with the forces of darkness. I firmly believe that Jamie Parker could help us win this battle…or at least tip the scales in our favor…but…but if we take him now…then, we'll never know…and countless other young men will die in his place."

Angel's will was faltering. True, she never liked to gather the souls of departed warriors…particularly Nephilim. She always thought that it was so sad that these young men were called seemingly at random…with powers thrust at them and a life of crushing loneliness and self sacrifice. Jun always seemed right about these things and Angel could feel the power resonating from his lifeless corpse.

And yet…she had strict orders…orders that she had to abide by. Apparently, it was his time to go…and...if it was divine mandate, then she couldn't deviate from that…besides, Jamie's energy reserves were gone…he would never recover from the battle he had just been in.

"Jun, suppose you are right. How would we do this? He's dead now!"

Upon uttering her words three figures appeared beside Jun. Angel recognized them as the three Nephilim who assisted Jamie with the ritual.

"If we give Jamie our residual power, it will not only resurrect him…but give him more power than any Nephilim has ever had." Patrick explained.

"The Creator has allowed for this to pass," Mark stated. "He explained to us that Jamie has the power to end the line of Nephilim."

"But…that is a bad thing…is it not?" Angel asked.

"He didn't say…he said that it wasn't our place to know at this time…that we all have free will and we would have to take that chance."

"So, what's it gonna be? I say we let the kid live, give 'em another chance?" Baek said with his arms crossed.

Angel sighed and thought it over…that's when she realized that the more she listened to the statements, the more she began to agree with them.

"Alright…then let us give this fallen angel another chance…" She said with her warm smile.

Author's Note: Okay, this is part one of the epilogues! Please read and review and I hope you liked it! Oh, and by the way, I really like Angel a lot…she's actually one of my favorite characters so I'm not trying to bash her or anything…so please don't hate me…anyway, please read and review and I hope I wasn't too cliché or anything lame-o like that…I'm a major wussy and I just couldn't kill Jamie off, he's my main character in all my original fic and I just can't kill him off yet…anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! REMEMBER THIS IS ONLY PART ONE! And don't worry…it won't be long and drawn out!


	33. Epilogue 2: Julia's Journey

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Anyway, I know that Tekken is a video game…but in some ways, I've tried to make the scenario as believable and true to life as I could…for example, I tried to make the characters seem like real people rather then just video game characters. Anyway, these epilogues are kind of like the endings in the Tekken games…oh, and they also take place in a span of several weeks to several months since the fifth tournament…anyway, enjoy!

_February 7, 2005_

_8:27 p.m._

_San Antonio, Texas._

Julia Chang stood in the bathroom of the convention center. She took off her glasses, looked in the dingy mirror, and rubbed her throbbing temples. A dull ache had settled in the back of her head and it refused to leave. Almost a month had gone by since The King of Iron Fist Tournament had ended. During that month everyone had gone their separate ways…forever changed by their encounters with Jamie and the forces of darkness.

She was here now, in San Antonio at an environmentalist convention taking place in the architectural behemoth known as the Alamodome. Julia had read about this convention in Newsweek. This meeting boasted that it would display cutting edge technology on the reforestation of the rain forest, and areas in danger of the dreaded process known as desertification.

Julia Chang had to be at that meeting.

So, she did something very uncharacteristically unlike her…she hopped on a plane in the middle of a school week to attend this meeting. She completely ditched her classes for the remainder of the week…although, old habits die hard, and she wasn't too far behind.

Every night in her hotel room she got the notes and lectures off the University of Arizona's website. The meeting by far, was a complete and utter bust. All the lectures just regurgitated the information that she had always heard before…when you got right down to it, the only efficient way to reforest the planet was through one chemical…

Genocell.

She shut her eyes and began to vividly remember her encounter two years ago with Dr. Abel in the Mishima Labs. Her hopes for reforestation grew, but at a price…genocell was science's way of producing a Devil Gene…Julia could not let that horrible bio weapon get out into the world so she deleted and destroyed any traces of the evil weapon.

Since the tournament had ended, Julia found herself settling back into her routine. She attended classes again, and kept in contact with her friends. She missed them…Hwoarang especially, who had gone back to Korea. She had urged him to get an education but he refused…stating that it wasn't "his style" His education ended as a senior in high school (only because Heihachi Mishima forced all teenaged competitors to attend classes at Mishima High) and he had made a solemn vow that he would never spend another day of his life cooped up in a class room.

Julia tried to explain that in college it was different…but he wouldn't have it. He had asked her to come to Korea with him…and she was seriously considering it.

After she had graduated of course.

She sighed, picked up her purse and walked out of the bathroom briskly. Tomorrow, she was scheduled to head back to Arizona so she had to pack her bags tonight for her early flight in the morning. Julia walked out of the Alamodome and wrapped her fitted, denim jacket around her for warmth. The weather was cold and drizzly with strong winds whipping her single, long braid in every direction.

Julia was astonished at how cold it was here. She always imagined that Texas was arid and hot not windy and cold. She hadn't procured a rental car because in downtown San Antonio, everything was within walking distance. She would cut across the River Walk and to her Best Western hotel.

As she walked, Julia heard footsteps behind her. At first she didn't pay much attention. Afterall, many people were leaving the convention center. But after ten minutes the guy was still following her. It freaked her out and she walked a little faster.

Of course, she wasn't defenseless. Julia was an accomplished martial artist…but she didn't worry about this person being a normal man oh no…she worried that he might be something else…a person who converted to an all liquid diet.

Ever since her adventure with Jamie and her induction into the supernatural a little over a month ago, Julia suddenly became much more aware of people dying with reported "neck trauma" and since coming back to the United States, she never went anywhere without a silver crucifix around her neck, and a bottle of holy water in her pocket.

As she picked up the pace the person behind her followed suit. Julia turned, this way then that, down alleys only becoming more and more detached from civilization. The stranger continued to follow her...Julia's heart thudded in her chest, and finally, she burst into a run.

The stranger continued to follow her and he was gaining.

"Wait! Wait stop!" He called.

Julia refused to heed the man's words…not that it would matter, the man caught up with her quickly. Julia struggled in his grasp but to no avail. He was strong, but she managed to lose herself out of his grasp, and brandish her cross…it did nothing.

_Okay, so he's not a vampire…great, so now I run into a rapist…_

Julia glanced at him. He appeared to be in his forties, he looked European…but she wasn't quite sure what part of that continent he was from.

"You are Julia Chang are you not? I must apologize for my rather intrusive way of meeting up with you…my name is Charles Corcoran," He paused for a second.

His accent was an Irish one. He looked like he was built like a boxer…and yet, he had a sort of bookish quality to him.

"What…what do you want?" Julia asked, breathing rather hard.

"You're one of the young women who befriended the Nephilim…Mr. Parker." He said gently.

"Jamie? What about him? Is he alright?" Julia asked.

"Oh yes," He chuckled lightly. "He is fine…but I recently read his report on the Devil assignment that we sent him on. Interesting reading to say the least."

"Wait…what?" Julia said…sounding rather stupider then she would have liked.

"As I said before; my name is Charles Corcoran, I am a member of a secret society known as the _Via de Angelus_…we aid the Nephilim as best we can. We keep records and such…at anyrate, after reading about you, I did a background check; you posses quite an intellect Ms. Chang."

Julia couldn't help but blush at this comment.

"But I digress…in Mr. Parker's report he mentioned how important his friends were to this mission. He…he has attempted to prove to us time and again the benefits of a Nephilim working with a group of people rather then alone. Several members of our group read his confession and it was agreed that we seek these people out and offer them a proposal."

"Proposal? What did you have in mind?" Julia asked.

"As I've said before Ms. Chang, with your phenomenal intellect and exceptional fighting prowess, we could use someone like you to work in our library. Translating the ancient texts and such…and, with you knowledge of combat, we would be more then willing to send you out as an emissary to deal with demonic affairs…small ones of course, the bigger ones are for the Nephilim to handle. You would be stationed in the London chapter of the Via De Angelus…and you would attend the finest universities as you start your training." Charles finished.

Julia thought it over for a minute, then, locked eyes with Charles, and gave her final answer…

Author's Note: Okay, this was Julia's epilogue, next is Jin and Xiao's. Don't worry, Hwoarang will have his own too, but it will be one of the last ones due to the way I want to portray it. Jamie will also get one, but it would be the last one! Anyway, I apologize for not updating that frequently, and that this is so short. Originally, everyone's epilogue would be in one chapter…but I'm kinda busy this week and I wanted to crank out another chapter before the week was out!


	34. Epilogue 3: Vindicated

Author's Note: Hey again! You guys gettin' sick of me yet? Hope not, anyway here's another fun filled, finger lickin' epilogue!

_January 17, 2005_

_2:04 p.m._

_Akkido, Japan._

Not many people knew about these caverns. They were hidden deep within the mountains of Akkido. Even though a rather famous Hot Springs resort wasn't far from here…these caves still remained undetected from humanity…at one time, they were used by a mountain village to bury their dead and worship the moon. The natural cave had an opening in the ceiling to let a shaft of moonlight in.

However, it was day time now…mid afternoon to be precise…and despite the intense cold, Jin Kazama sat ...shirtless…in lotus position directly in the shaft of light. He breathed in and out, focusing on the candle in front of him. He was meditating, and muttering the mantra that he had learned over two years ago in Brisbane.

Master Sakai had taught it to him back when Jin had helped him, and the Nephilim Mark Baker. He owed so much to them…without their help then he was in danger of letting his demonic side take over…despite valiant efforts to quell it, his demon side would have eventually taken control.

Those two had been like family to Jin while he was Australia…Jin didn't have many friends in his life…oh sure, back in high school he was one of the most popular and sought after guys…but those people weren't really his friends. Honestly, the only people that he felt genuinely cared about him were Xiaoyu, Steve, Christie, and Julia…and…Jamie.

As far as Jamie went…the two held no grudges against eachother…in retrospect, Jin knew that Jamie should have been the one to kill Devil. He was the one equipped to do it…the Hon Maru Temple however somehow made Jin lose his grip on his Devil side…probably from all the evil vibes emanating from the place.

Jin owed a lot to Jamie…his father Kazuya was free now from Devil…he was a normal person again. However, fate played a cruel twist of fate…with the Devil Gene permanently gone from his body; Kazuya had fallen into a coma. Right now, he was residing in a hospital in Paris France.

Members of the _Via De Angelus_ had told Jin not to worry…that Kazuya would most definantly awaken…they just weren't sure when. It could be tomorrow, or years from now. But for now, Jin managed to count his blessings, and was content upon the fact his father was finally free.

Jin should be in Paris right now…he should be at his father's side…but something had drawn him here…it came to him in a dream…and he thought that he heard his mother's voice tell him that he would be vindicated in this cavern…so he flew here last night (by physically flying…not by taking a plane…).

And here he sat…meditating…contemplating his life…the demon within him…Xiaoyu…Mark…Jamie…his rivalry with Hwoarang…everything that had happened to him in his eventful…and often sad life.

In some ways he envied the Nephilim…for even though their lives were short and filled with killing and slaughter…that was just it…their lives were short…they didn't have to deal with the killing and sorrow for very long. They were normally called at fifteen, and died at twenty…five years…and that was it.

But what of the rest of us who had to live a life like this with the natural life expectancy? As he pondered these thoughts Jin felt a low breeze drift through the cave. At first, Jin thought nothing much about it…but the wind began to kick up stronger…and stronger…and even though it was below freezing in this cavern, the breeze felt warm.

_Just like on the beaches of Brisbane…_

The thought randomly popped into his head…he didn't so much think it rather then feel like it was planted there…

And soon…Jin didn't feel alone in the caves anymore…he felt a…a presence with him. The young Japanese man quickly turned, expecting to see some kind of malevolent demon standing behind him…instead…he saw…Mark… he walked towards Jin with that same, aloof, goofy grin that Jin remembered so well.

"Mark?" He whispered.

"Hey Jin." Mark said.

He stood in front of Jin…who still sat in his lotus form. Even though he was a ghost he looked as solid as he did two years ago. Same pale skin….same lithe frame…same peroxide Mohawk, tattoos and piercings.

"Mark?" Jin asked again.

"Yup it's me! In the flesh…well…never mind…" Mark said. "I'd help you up but…y'know, I'd just pass right through you." He said with some embarrassment in his voice.

Jin quickly got up…still disbelieving in the fact that one of his best friends was standing here with him! Jin had so many questions to ask…like, what's it like to die? What happens when you do? And if there really is a Heaven or a Hell…but most importantly…Jin had to do something…had to tell Mark something that had been bothering him for the past two years.

"Mark…" Jin said slowly. "I…I killed you...because of me you're dead…I didn't know that my grandfather was going to track me down! If it wasn't for me…your home…Master Sakai…I…I… I didn't know! I'm so…so…so sorry!" Jin was almost in hysterics now.

"Whoa…whoa…easy there mate!" Mark brought his hands up and tried to calm his friend down.

Mark still wore the outfit he had died in…well, the outfit he wore every night when he patrolled. White tank top, baggy, basketball shorts, and strap on sandals.

"It's not your fault Jin…what went down that night…it happens mate. Nephilim die. It's unfortunate, but that's the truth."

"But Heihachi tracked me down and…"

Mark shook his head. "No…it didn't go down like that. Your grandfather knew of Nephilim because of Baek and Patrick. He knew of our strengths and he knew that inevitably, we are drawn to that tournament. It wasn't that hard for him to locate me…and...Well, with you there it was an added bonus for him." Mark finished.

"But…I killed you! I slit your throat and you bled on the pavement!" Jin argued.

"Jin, let me fill you in on a li'l secret. Everything in this life and the next is all connected somehow. Don't ask me why or how it just is…I mean, me brain hurts just thinkin' 'bout it…anyway, my death was like a ripple effect-"

"I'm sorry Mark…I don't understand." Jin interrupted.

"Well, if you'll let me finish," Mark gently chided. "Anyway, I was bit by the werewolf that your grandfather sent after us. I killed it, but because I was bit I would become one. If that happened then the Nephilim line wouldn't continue until I was killed…but, I'd be evil…do ya see where I'm going with this? Anyway, so I asked you to kill me and you did…then my death summoned Jamie Parker. Jamie has the potential to become a great warrior…and, without my death, he wouldn't've been able to complete the Ascending Angel Ritual…and ultimately never defeat Devil…so ya see?" Mark asked.

"So…it's all connected…is that why you came to me? To tell me that?" Jin asked.

Mark grinned again. "Naw…well, kind of, but not really. I also came to tell you that the Via de Angelus is out lookin' for you. They want you, and the other fighters that helped Jamie out to join up with them. I can't tell you what to do, but I strongly recommend that you take the opportunity."

"Me? Why would they want me?" Jin asked.

"Duh…you're probably one of the most powerful people in the world right now…well, other than the Nephilim. The Devil gene inside of you is still there…if you join up with them, then they'll continue your training to suppress the gene and control your powers for the greater good." Mark stated.

"Right…but where will they find me? How can I find them?" Jin asked.

"Believe me; the VDA'll find you…but I think you should go back to Paris…besides, that girl you told me about is lookin' for you…you two've been separated long enough…I always told you that…but anyway, the VDA wants her too…I think you two'll make a helluva team."

Jin couldn't believe it…Mark was here, and they were talking to eachother as if he were alive again. It felt like they were sitting in the sunwashed, beat up, rundown dojo where he and Master Sakai lived.

"Okay, this is gonna sound totally lame I know…but I need to head out. I can't stay on this plane very much longer. But, know that me an' Master Sakai'll always be watching over you…and please," Mark's voice became serious now. "Continue to watch over Jamie. You've been doing great so far…please keep it up…" Mark looked like he was going to fade out, but Jin quickly called his name again.

"Wait! Mark!"

"Yeah Jin?"

"What's it like to…die?" Jin blurted out…almost afraid to ask it.

"Not nearly as scary and painful as this," Mark pointed to Jin, who was shirtless in a frigid cave. "Seriously mate, don't die of hypothermia now…we need warriors like you against the demons! Put your shirt back on and get your ass to Paris!" Mark said.

Jin chuckled…typical Mark Baker humor. "Really? It's not nearly as bad as people think? Even for Nephilim?"

"It's not too bad Jin…no matter how you die it's just like going to sleep at the end…like being born…only backwards…" Mark said reflectively.

Once again, Mark began to disappear…but stopped in the middle to deliver several more words of advice. "Jin, don't worry…you've done more good then bad in life…stop focusing all this energy on atonement and vindication…because you have a pure soul…you're mother told me…and I know that…believe me, you've been forgiven for all that you've done before…now please, go, help out Jamie and the others."

With that said, Mark finally did disappear, leaving Jin alone in the caves. Jin smiled…the first true smile he had felt in a long time…and in that moment, he felt happy, truly happy. His raven's feather wings unfurled from his back, and Jin flew out of the cavern's opening…out into the mid afternoon…back to Paris, and ultimately, towards his new destiny…

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update…but I had to write a Valentine's Day story for my friends…anyway, now that that's done I can focus on ending this story! Anyway, sorry if this seemed a little rushed or lame…but I really didn't know what else to do with Jin…I didn't want him to get visited by Jun, because that's been done before, and I didn't want him to go back to Brisbane…so, I tried to do something different. Anyway, hope everyone has a Happy V-day! Much love to everyone! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!


	35. Epilogue 4: New Horizons

Author's Note: Hey again! What's up y'all? Happy V-day! Hope everyone had a nice one with their honeys…or if not with a honey, then with some very special friends!

_February 16th 2005_

_10:48 p.m._

_Paris France_

The hospital was quiet tonight. The only sounds that emanated from this floor were the soothing clacking of computer keys, and the soft patter of the hospital staff's footsteps. Here in the coma ward everything was quiet…it didn't matter what time…day or night, it always possessed a soothing, peaceful silence.

Ling Xiaoyu never liked hospitals…maybe it was the fact that she was always only one or two floors above the morgue…where complete strangers lay cold and dead in freezers beneath her…or maybe it was the vampiric entanglement that had taken place two months ago at Mishima Medical?

Whatever the case, she always felt uneasy in them.

She had arrived in Paris earlier this afternoon. She knew that Jin was here…as well as Kazuya. He hadn't picked her up at the airport…and she hadn't expected him to. He did however; tell her to meet him here; in the coma ward of the hospital.

Ling Xiaoyu never packed a lot of clothing whenever she went on trips…even during the King of Iron Fist Tournament; she had rivaled Jamie in infamously living out of just two suitcases. She should have been excited…she loved to travel, and here she was…in one of the most romantic cities in the world…and soon, she would be with the man whom she loved.

No longer would she have to wait and wonder where he was…she would have him all to herself here. Jin had invited Xiao to stay at his Parisian flat in a rather upscale portion of town. Images of late night love making and late morning breakfasts in baggy bathrobes danced in her mind.

Her heart fluttered in her chest as she mulled these thoughts over like a movie projector in her mind.

Of course, she wasn't here just for Jin…like Jamie Parker the Nephilim had mentioned to her when he had to fight Hwoarang…it's all about the mission.

Immediately after the Tournament had ended, Ling had gone back to Hong Kong to go to school…for a little while; everything had gone by in a sort of secure monotony. She had gone back to school…but found herself longing for something more…fulfilling. For some reason, Xiao felt selfish for knowing of the existence of Nephilim, vampires, and other forces of darkness and attempting to go back to her normal life. Looking back on it, plenty of University students had indeed disappeared mysteriously…only to be found dead several days later in an alley…victims of "acute neck trauma".

She wanted to do something about it…and had even e-mailed Jin and Jamie…asking them what to do. Jamie had told her to be careful…but keep him informed if he had to make any impromptu visits to China…while Jin had been relatively evasive on the subject. He would tell her to wait for a little while, and that someone important would come to talk to her very soon.

Then, randomly, in the middle of January while she was walking to her Psychology class, an Irish gentleman named Charles Corcoran had asked to speak with her. He had explained that he was a member of the _Via de Angelus_. A secretive group of people who helped the Nephilim combat the forces of darkness and such.

He had expressed interest in employing Xiao and the others, and recruiting them to the cause.

Finally, Ling Xiaoyu was beginning to feel like her life would have purpose again.

The fact that she would be working closely with Jin only sweetened the deal.

And so, twenty year old Ling Xiaoyu took a sabbatical from college, to train in the arts of demon hunting. While her training was far from over, she had managed to kill a vampire, and a H'sria Demon in controlled environments (a glowing recommendation from Jamie helped significantly as well).

She felt a sense of pride and purpose in her life…and she loved it…and now, she was stationed in Paris…with Jin, her lover…to watch over the slumbering form of Kazuya Mishima.

While Devil had been defeated, the VDA was worried that his demonic emissaries or even Heihachi Mishima's fanatics (Dr. Abel etc…) would attempt to capture the fallen Mishima.

Xiao politely asked for directions to Kazuya's room…she was surprised to find out that she was indeed on the list of family members (right up there with Julia Chang, Christie Monteiro, Steve Fox, Jamie Parker, and…even Hwoarang).

The list had labeled her as "daughter-in-law"…even more pleasant surprises.

However, she refused to get her hopes up…knowing Jin; he would probably tell her that it was less suspicious this way (like labeling westerners as brothers, sisters, and extended family?).

True, she had confided in her best friends, Julia, Miharu, and Christie, that the relationship with Jin was in sort of an emotional standstill. The two had never really graduated from that high school type of boyfriend and girlfriend. To Jin's defense though, he had left before senior year had ended…leaving her alone for two years…then resurfacing for the fourth tournament…before promptly disappearing again…then reappearing two years later.

Life with Jin was certainly very complicated.

However, when the two were together they were very passionate…and they worked so well.

Finally, Xiao made it to Kazuya's room. He had an observation window, and that was what Ling looked through. He looked so peaceful there…and even though he was in a coma, he looked content…even…happy?

It was as if his human side needed time to recuperate and adjust to having full control of his body.

Even though Ling didn't know the real Kazuya…she could tell that he was a kind man…a loving man…he would have made a good father to his son.

And…eventually, he would get that chance. Afterall, the VDA had explained that he would awaken in due course. No one knew exactly when though. It could be tomorrow…or it could be ten years from now.

Slowly, Ling entered the room, and stood over Kazuya's sleeping form.

"Please wake up soon Kazuya-san…you're son needs you…he misses you…" Ling murmured.

She gently knelt down, and kissed his forehead. Suddenly, she was aware of someone standing behind her. Ling gasped and turned…only to find herself in the protective, muscular arms of Jin Kazama.

"Jin…" She murmured.

"You finally made it." He whispered into her, burying his face into her hair.

The faint scent of an herbal shampoo clung to her loose hair. Ling had apparently stopped wearing her hair in pigtails…going for a more adult look. Jin liked it…although; he had thought she was beautiful since the first time he laid eyes on her.

"He looks so peaceful here." Ling said.

"He does…I'm sorry that you had to meet me in such dismal surroundings…but the VDA had me go through a weapons orientation all day today. Since I'm here a lot I figured…"

"No, it's alright. It's quiet here…soothing." Ling replied.

She smiled for him…it was her bright, famous, traffic stopping smile that Jin loved.

"Well…why don't we go for a walk or something? You must be hungry?" Jin prodded.

Ling nodded. "I'd like that…but what about-"

"I think he'll be alright for five minutes. Besides, the VDA has operatives in the hospital. They guard him when I cannot."

(Ten minutes later)

The two sat in the small café sipping their coffee. Ling relished the soothing, warm beverage flood throughout her body. Jin sat across from her. He wore a black button down shirt untucked, and a pair of dark, bootcut jeans. His hair wasn't gelled back at the moment, and instead hung in soft shaggy tendrils around his face.

"You grew your hair out." Ling observed.

"Yeah," Jin chuckled. "I guess I forgot to cut it and-"

"Don't," Xiao interrupted gently.

The two kissed lightly, and Jin reached into his pocket. Everything seemed to go by in slow motion as Jin got out of his chair and knelt down on one knee. He opened the box for Ling, exposing a beautiful ring.

He said something…but Ling couldn't really hear him…she was brimming with happiness as tears began to spill from her cheeks….she did hear something though…the four most important words of her life.

"Will you marry me?"

Xiao smiled, looked into Jin's hopeful eyes, and responded…but before she did, her million dollar smile spread across her cheeks…

Author's Note: Okay…had to get the sappy, impromptu romantic scene somewhere in this story…um…as you can tell, I'm not that great at these sort of romantic scenes…I'm more about action, and to a lesser extent, the sappy, sensitive scenes…anyway, please accept my humble, pitiful offering at romance…I know it was horribly cliché and crap…but please read and review! No FLAMES PLEASE! Oh, and by the way...I tried to portray Xiaoyu as a little bit more grown up...afterall, she's in her early twenties now and stuff...I love the character, but I just wanted her to grow up some...and after her encounters with vamps and stuff, I figured she'd mature a little more as well ) RR POR FAVOUR!


	36. Epilogue 5: Special Delivery

Author's Note: Hey again! Get ready…it's….time…for….HWOARANG'S EPILOGUE!

_January 13, 2005_

_11:08 a.m._

_Vatican City, Rome._

He walked out of the Roma Airport and squinted in the harsh sunlight…ordinarily, Doo San Hwoarang would have never been up this early. He often didn't wake up until at least 3:30 in the afternoon (but he went to bed at 5 a.m.), and his body wasn't used to the sudden time changes and being up this early. He blew past baggage claim, and the rental car kiosk…he didn't even book a hotel…he was leaving this afternoon.

A part of him wished that he could stay longer and enjoy the beautiful the art work that the city had to offer…but now was not the time to play tourist, he was here to simply give something of Jamie's to a certain group of people.

They had a really weird name…Hwoarang always forgot it, but he knew where they were located. He mentally uttered a colorful obscenity as his mind began to wonder for fifteen minutes what the organization was called.

Suddenly, it popped into his head, and he murmured it aloud.

"Via de Angelus…"

It was indeed a strange name…and yet, it kinda rolled off the tongue in such an odd way that it carried a sort of pleasing, archaic, old world sound. Whenever Hwoarang thought of the name he always thought about musty old library books and ancient artifacts that were kept safe by scholarly men and women.

Which, according to Jamie, was exactly what the organization did.

Hwoarang held the simple, 80 page spiral note book in his left hand. There was nothing incredibly special about it. One could purchase these for less then two dollars at any school supply section of a convenience store.

Nephilim were asked to keep a sort of record of their activities as they went about their lives as Nephilim. Whenever they took on a rather daunting mission (such as the exorcising of Devil) they were asked to keep a sort of journal and fill in a basic account of what had happened. How they defeated the enemy, and what, if any, spells they had used.

Jamie Parker had filled the notebook cover to cover, and it was a miracle that he had been able to cram it all in just eighty pages. Hwoarang felt honored that Jamie had trusted him of all people with this task. Jamie would have gone himself, but he had been in a Tokyo Hospital recovering from the many wounds he had received during the Ascending Angel Ritual.

Hwoarang had spoken with Jamie just a day or two ago, and found that he had made a full recovery. In fact, he was back at school, fighting the good fight against the forces of darkness as he always had.

Hwoarang had left from Tokyo, and immediately headed to Rome. Jamie had said that he had made a phone call to the VDA and explained that Hwoarang was coming to deliver the journal…which made things much easier for the red haired Korean.

He longed to go back to Korea…but truthfully, he wanted Julia to come back with him. She had said she would…after she finished school.

"Should've known better…nothing can stop the mighty Julia when she's on the prowl for the evasive syllabi…" Hwoarang muttered with a bitter chuckle.

He loved Julia of course…but why did she have to be so goddamn stubborn? Education was important to her sure, but she could just as easily come to Korea to finish school. It had a few nice institutions of learning…whenever "business" had Hwoarang walk through the college district of Seoul, he always found himself gazing enviously at the scores of happy kids milling about the beautiful campuses.

They always seemed so calm…so laid back and easy going…it must have been nice to be a student. All that was expected of you was to do well in your classes…your parents pay for everything.

_Yup, free as a fuckin' bird…_

Hwoarang quickly shook those thoughts out of his head. He made more money as the head of the Blood Talon gang then any of those students could see in a lifetime…of course, it came with a price. Every day he had to watch his back...he had many enemies and he never knew when this day could be his last.

This was probably why he and Jamie got along so well.

In some ways, the two were a lot alike. Both woke up every morning with a mission to do…and both could wind up dead by the end of the day. They both had relatively short life spans, and fully understood the ramifications of their respective callings.

The Blood Talon wasn't a bad organization per se…it dealt with illegal street racings, protection (lately, supernatural or otherwise), and minor scams. With Hwoarang as their young leader, the gang had begun to enjoy its golden age…with chapters beginning to span the globe; whichever members were skeptical about Hwoarang assuming power years ago were singing an entirely different tune now.

As Hwoarang walked down the Vatican streets, he glanced at the notebook he carried. Jamie wasn't exactly satisfied with the plain blue cover, and in one afternoon (during one of Kazuya's lame-o speeches) had made a collage over it.

Jamie had used old tabloid magazines; pictures of a-list celebrities with confused looks on their faces, random, funny pictures, and hilarious slogans adorned the cover.

As Hwoarang walked on, his train of thought immediately derailed.

"Excuse me…" He said in an Irish accent.

"Yeah?" Hwoarang turned, and gave a menacing glare.

He discreetly hid the notebook behind his back.

"No…it's quite alright…you are…Doo San Hwoarang…are you not?" The polite, librarian looking man asked.

"That's the name they gave me." Hwoarang stated simply.

His grin broadened. "Good. I've heard you were coming. I am Charles Corcoran…you are a friend of Jamie Parker's…are you not?"

Hwoarang said nothing, but discreetly dropped into a fighter's stance.

"If you want to fight then it would be a complete waste of time. Please, follow me; we have much to discuss…primarily about the notebook you have. I'm with the Via de Angelus…we're a group who-"

"Helps the Nephilim right? Yeah, I got that."

"I was asked to meet you…to intercept the journal…and ask if you would follow me please."

Hwoarang was wary, but this man seemed to know what the journal was. Of course, Hwoarang wasn't going to give it up until he was sure that this guy was from the VDA.

So, Hwoarang followed the man wary…but not letting him out of his sight.

(Two hours later)

Jamie was right…the main headquarters of the Via de Angelus was breathtaking. It was actually held in the same place where the head of all Christianity himself lived.

That's right, The Pope.

Apparently, a Nephilim's role in life was so significant, that he could hold audience with "his eminence" at any time, day or night. In fact, if Jamie really felt like it, he could call here right now, and have them drop everything and listen to him.

Hwoarang wasn't Catholic though, and Jamie hated God…in fact, Hwoarang really didn't associate himself with any kind of religion. So, the red haired Korean wasn't exactly star struck about being in the same room with this guy.

Oh sure, he was polite, but that was about it.

In fact, Hwoarang was actually kind of aggravated; he handed the journal over, and then was immediately ushered out of the room. He was told that he could explore the facility to his heart's content and they would call him when they were ready for him.

If they wanted him around so much…then why couldn't he stay with them? Afterall, he had fought alongside the Nephilim himself, killed a couple of demons and lived! He'd probably clocked more field time then any of these old, crotchety men did in their lives!

This way then that, Hwoarang walked down the halls that were festooned with precious artwork adorning the walls. For awhile, he did look at each and every piece of art…but after two hours of appreciating, one tended to become disenchanted. Honestly, Hwoarang was itching for some action…as bad as it sounded, he wanted to get into a fight…and he wanted to badly.

His legs felt stiff and sore…he hadn't properly stretched at all today…nor did he get a chance to do his daily martial arts "kata".

The area was quiet, and gave off an air of stuffiness…suddenly though, he heard a loud…

"Hi-yaa!"

The ki-yap cut through the silence like a knife through butter. A grin spread across his face, and he began to make his way towards the sounds. After five minutes of following, he found himself in a beautiful courtyard. In the courtyard were about twenty or so teenage boys.

They were from all sorts of different ethnicities and backgrounds…and they were practicing combos together. They seemed to be following a twentysomething man wearing all black.

"Punch block combo!" He bellowed.

"Huh!" They shouted, snapping to, and performing the attacks.

"Cross block kick!"

"Huh!"

They seemed to be doing well…all but one. He looked Japanese…he couldn't keep up.

The twentysomething man walked over to the boy (who couldn't have been more than fifteen) like a drill sergeant and shouted at him. "What the hell was that! You screw up like that on the field and you're dead! Then it looks like another Nephilim'll be called! Hopefully one who won't mess up simple combinations! Now drop and gimme twenty!"

"Twenty what?"

"Push ups maggot!" He shouted.

The Japanese boy groaned and dropped to his hands and knees.

Hwoarang was confused…another Nephilim? But, Jamie was the Nephilim? Who were these kids? As he watched the drill sergeant of sorts walked up to Hwoarang and grinned.

"You must have been one of the people who assisted the Nephilim Jamie Parker in battle with Devil. My name is Father Francesco. I train these boys…who could…one day become the next Nephilim."

"You can tell all of that?" Hwoarang asked with disbelief.

"Yes," He answered, watching the young men proudly. "It's all done with our prophets…these young men posses a certain…aura."

"Aura? So, you knew Jamie would be the Nephilim?"

"Well, we never really know who will become the Nephilim, in fact…we were hoping that it would be someone else rather then Jamie Parker…if I remember correctly, there was an Irish boy who would've made a great one…but, I guess in his own way, Jamie is proficient enough."

Hwoarang couldn't believe the way this man was acting! No wonder Jamie hated going anywhere near the VDA!

"Proficient enough? He nearly killed himself to save all of humanity! He saved me, and my friends a bunch of times and-"

"Well, that's every Nephilim's job I suppose,…believe me, in his record, he hasn't done anything remarkably stellar as far as his calling is concerned…now, there was a Nephilim about twenty years ago who…"

Hwoarang couldn't take it anymore, how dare someone trash a great warrior like that? Could this really be everyone's opinion about Jamie? Hwoarang wasn't impressed easily, and he didn't give out compliments a great deal, but Jamie Parker was perhaps one of the greatest warriors he had seen since…well…Baek Doo San…

Hwoarang promptly decked the pompous priest across the cheek. The man fell to the ground…out cold.

The young men stopped what they were doing, and glanced at Hwoarang with a mixture of joy, fear, and uncertainty. The young man who was doing his push ups stopped…yet still stood on all fours.

"Anyone who's not having fun, start listening to me." Hwoarang said gently.

He walked over to the cadre of young cadets. "The combos that he was teaching you are all wrong. How many of you have actually faced a demon before?"

Everyone lowered their eyes. "It doesn't matter. That's not important. What is important though is that I have. I've fought alongside the Nephilim…I've trained with him…and," He added his trademark, confident smirk. "I've kicked his ass a couple of times in sparring."

"My name's Doo San Hwoarang…I trained under the Nephilim Baek Doo San, and I'll be your official trainer from here on out." He didn't finish before the crowd of young men cheered exuberantly.

_What the hell've I gotten myself into…_

Hwoarang found himself thinking. However, after several minutes of training, and teaching his attitude began to change.

_Maybe this won't be so bad afterall…maybe I can get the others in on this too…_

Author's Note: Okay…hope you liked it! Sorry it took so long to update…it was actually kinda tough to write this epilogue! Even though I find that Hwoarang isn't that hard to write about…anyway, I'm sorry if it sucked, but I tried as hard as I could…anyway, please read and review! MUCH LOVE TO EVERYONE! PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING!


	37. Epilogue 6: Angels and Demons

Author's Note: Hey again! Here I am…back in the saddle and writin' about Jamie again…fun times…anyway, please enjoy!

_February 20th, 2005_

_1:39 a.m._

_Miami, Florida._

_All dressed up and nothing to beat to a bloody pulp._

A chill wind blew from the ocean. Jamie Parker zipped his green hooded jacket up to his throat and shivered…just a little. All right, it was February, but still, Southern Florida in February wasn't so brisk. He was tempted to pull his hood up but there was something just a little too gangbanger about that look for Jamie's tastes.

As Jamie walked along the waterfront, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his sweatshirt and grumbled softly to himself. His gaze darted around the wharf and the canneries and the large shipping vessels out on the water. Miami had its share of gorgeous beaches…but tonight, Jamie wasn't patrolling those beaches…he had heard of severe vampiric activity around this area of town and he was going to find it!  
However, patrol had been completely uneventful thus far and it was growing increasingly late. Midnight had come and gone, and by all rights Jamie should have long since returned to his dorm. He had a class at nine in the morning and he was determined not to oversleep.

Come hell or high water, Jamie Parker was determined to become a totally badass Nephilim…and yet, manage to immerse himself in the college experience both socially and academically. He was a smart kid, managed to get all A's and B's in high school…so how could college be any different?

So far, Jamie had managed (somewhat) to balance the two together. His friends, Robbie, Maureen, and Mina had also decided to attend college at the infamous Miami University with him.

To make things a little easier, Robbie was his roommate, while Maureen and Mina lived at the other end of their co-ed dorm. His friends had wanted to help people…they said that Jamie had inspired them to do so.

As far as college life was concerned, Jamie Parker was one of the lucky ones. He wasn't too far away from home (two hours to be precise), and his best friends attended the same university that he did. Even though he was a lame-o freshman, he had to admit that the freedom he had was…exhilarating…

He had become somewhat of a campus celebrity for managing to get in the infamous King of Iron Fist Tournament (it had been broadcasted on ESPN) and for beating such infamous faces as Hwoarang, and Lee…and even withstanding a beating from Kazuya!

Jamie took all of this in stride…the campus was big enough that he could pass through his day without his newfound celebrity getting in the way…and it something that he was grateful for.

His anonymity was also a great asset in the Nephilim aspect of his life; there were so many people on campus that most of the time, he had no idea who he was saving…nor did they know who he was.

They were thankful and appreciative of course, but he didn't have to worry about suspicious rumors bubbling up around him and he didn't have to explain himself as often as he did in high school.

Or as often as he did during the King of Iron Fist Tournament…

Jamie still kept in contact with his friends from the tournament…and now, they were working with the Via de Angelus. Jamie was thrilled by that aspect…maybe now the VDA wouldn't give him so much crap about carrying on a social life and having friends help him on patrol.

So far, the VDA was excited by the new prospect…and had even wanted to hire his friends back in the 'states.

As Jamie walked down the docks, he reached a sleazy, biker bar…the flickering neon sign called to him in the darkness like some kind of sleazy, ghetto, urban siren. Jamie couldn't explain it…but his instincts were telling him that something was going to happen in this area.

And lately, his instincts hadn't been wrong.

Since the Ascending Angel Ritual, his credibility as a Nephilim soared. The ritual always called for the death of the Nephilim, as the Chosen One could not hold onto his perfect Angel Form for very long.

Essentially, when performing the ritual, the Nephilim's body acted as a sort of battery…and once it drained, you were gone…but somehow, someway, Jamie managed to survive the ordeal.

He wasn't exactly sure what happened…he thought that he had a dream where two angelic women were arguing over his body…but he couldn't be sure exactly…he awoke two days later in a Tokyo hospital (not Mishima General) and was attended to by the caring Julia.

Four days after awakening, Jamie felt well enough to go home…and then it was back to school. His brother was fine; his arm had healed enough so that he could continue on the World Destruction Tour. According to his last message he was in Germany, and had switched sides over to Bam Margera's team.

Bam was doing quite well actually; while in Tokyo, he had been arrested at the mall during Jamie's fight with Hwoarang for "lewd conduct". Officer Lei had taken him in. However, Jamie called in a few favors, and Bam was let loose three hours later.

Jamie had received a nice thank you card from April and Phil Margera (Bam's parents) when he got back to school (April Margera was like a surrogate mother to Jamie…and had been since he was fourteen…despite the fact that he had been on Bam's reality show, he could never prank April or Phil…he would feel bad about it).

At anyrate, once Jamie returned to school he began to notice a change in his stamina and strength…it was subtle at first…but he began to realize that he had begun slightly faster and stronger then ever before…he was like two and a half Nephilim rolled into one!

He found that he could take pain a lot better and he could dish it out with a lot more ferocity.

If the demons and forces of darkness weren't scared of him before…then they were now…

Jamie waited for several moments in front of the bar…this place was so sleazy that calling it a dive would be an insult to all dives everywhere.

And yet…there didn't seem to be a scuffle.

Jamie frowned. His instincts could have been wrong…but they never were…so what was up?

Suddenly, a muffled laugh came out from the back corners of the alley. Something was going on back there…in a place where things let out small giggles weighed down with sinister intent and gleeful perversity. It was amazing all the evil a laugh could contain.

Jamie ran the length of the alley and found himself face to face with a single, solitary vampire. He held a woman in his deadly embrace. She looked forty and had absolutely no business wearing the Aerosmith t-shirt and cut off denim jeans…and she was more than likely, judging by her pallor…dead.

The vampire grinned lecherously at Jamie (mouth smeared with blood) and dropped the body. It landed with a sickening thump on the ground. The vamp had short, spiky hair, and wore all black. Perhaps the thing that stood out the most was his black, leather trench coat.

He reminded Jamie of Neo from the move The Matrix…and had it been any other circumstance, he probably would have made a crass comment about the creature of the night's wardrobe choices.

"So, this is the Nephilim huh? I almost didn't recognize you with your," He gushed in a mock, gay voice. "Shiny, flaxen locks."

"What the hell?" Jamie asked.

Jamie didn't have time to think about the comment, and he wasn't about to let the vamp know that he was somewhat unnerved by it. The Nephilim leapt through the air and landed a high jump kick to the creature's face. Naturally, he stumbled backwards…but didn't grimace in pain like he thought he would.

Instead, the creature grabbed Jamie, and took advantage of the fact that he was temporarily off balance. The vampire flung Jamie into the dumpster, and fireworks exploded behind the Nephilim's eyes.

The vampire was fast…way too fast for Jamie…even with his heightened powers. He grabbed at the stunned warrior, and pulled at his hair…a sound, not unlike Velcro ripping assaulted Jamie's ears. Some of his hair gave way, and he could feel his scalp bleed. He hauled Jamie backward to expose his throat.

Jamie desperately tried another move…and slammed his head up into the vampire's face, splintering his nose, and causing him to stagger backward.

"What, are you kidding? You go up against me, you go for the kill, moron. That Nosferatu intimidation crap doesn't work on me!"

Even as he spoke he moved in, fists flying. The vampire tried to defend himself but it wasn't going to happen. Jamie had the upper hand and he wasn't going to give it up. Jamie landed, a punishing side kick, and his heightening hearing heard the sound of ribs splintering. Jamie unsheathed his incredibly sharp wakazashi (not the same one he borrowed in Tokyo…this was his own…it's make was similar to that of Go Go Yubari's from the movie Kill Bill, minus the dangly key chains on the hilt…instead, his was anointed with Holy Water)

Jamie pressed the dagger firmly against the vampire's neck…and unleashed a litany of statements.

"I don't like you. I don't like the fact that you're so quiet. I don't like the fact that you say you know me. I don't like the fact that someone has apparently embellished the vampire formula here. I want answers. You can tell me what I want to know now and die easily, or I'll tie you to the roof of one of those concrete bunkers buck naked and let the sun come up and torch you inch by inch."

The vampire flinched, as Jamie pressed the dagger closer against its skin.

"You may've won the battle Nephilim! But the war is coming! Soon Devil will come, kill you, and slaughter all of those whom you love! Mark my words it will be a glor-"

Jamie chopped the vampire's head off then and there.

"Never a big fan of long, drawn out conversations."

The corpse of the vamp's victim was sprawled against the back of the club. Her Aerosmith shirt rucked up under her arms. Jamie knew she was dead but he knelt down beside her and felt for a pulse. He couldn't walk away without checking. But there was nothing…of course.

Jamie sighed, shook his head, and walked away. Earlier he had been cold, but now he was too warm, so he unzipped his hoodie and tied it around his waist. He wore a simple tank top underneath the hoodie, and the breeze felt refreshing on his exposed arms.

The salt air felt good…invigorating…and yet, Jamie couldn't help but feel somewhat unnerved by the vampire's cryptic comment.

Soon Devil will come and kill everyone he loved? How could that be? Devil was gone, and had been for over a month now…he couldn't come back…there was no way…and yet…and yet…Jamie couldn't help but feel that this wasn't the end…that this was only the beginning…the beginning of a war…and that soon, he would be engaged in a true battle of Angels and Demons…

Author's Note: Whew…so…whattya think? Was it good? It's hard to believe that this is my last chappie…this story took up two months of my life…I only really started it though because I was bored…I'm so glad that a lot of people enjoyed it…this was my first fan fic so I hope it was good…anyway, I'm actually thinking of writing a prequel…or a sequel…tell me which one is more interesting. The prequel would cover Patrick Horton's ordeal in the Tekken tournaments…but a sequel would feature Jamie again. Either way, I'm gonna write both, but which one should I write first? I'm kinda leaning towards a prequel but...Please let me know via some reviews! Anyway, much love to everyone who took the time to review my story and place me on their fav. List's! Shadowsin, Chlover Goddess, Element6, krappkarmin, skipster chic, karisan-karisan, skittle extreme, frump slayer 350, a-block, shadowsonic137, hunterZ, lady eliwen…and all others…thanks so much for your love and support! ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHICH STORY YOU WOULD ENJOY NEXT! READ AND REVIEW!


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